I Have Something To Tell You
by Princess Alexandria
Summary: Elisa spent a night with Demona on the Breeders moon, and that night had completely unexpected consequences. Femslash. Alternate Universe.
1. Something To Tell You

I Have Something To Tell You

By Princess Alexandria

has other stories that can't be posted here.

Email:  princess_alex24@hotmail.com 

Alternate Universe Fiction 

Elisa sat in the reception area of the NightStone CEO's office.  Dominique Destine's last appointment of the day was running long, probably on purpose to make Elisa wait for her.  When Elisa had called to tell Demona that she needed to see her, the gargoyle had at first panicked, demanding to know if Angela was alright.  Elisa had reassured her that nothing had happened to her daughter or the egg that she was carrying, and would be laying in a month.  After that Demona had informed her she was very busy and didn't have time right then.  That had pissed Elisa off, being brushed off like that after everything that had happened.  She did as the CEO asked, and made an appointment through her secretary, because they had to have this conversation.  It had already waited too long.    

Coming here had been nerve racking enough, this waiting was just making Elisa more and more tense as the minutes passed.  Elisa stared out the window, towards the Eyrie building in the distance.  She hadn't told any of them yet.  She sighed heavily, imagining the scene that would accompany her announcement, along with all the demands that she explain how this had happened.  

*****

5 Months Ago In A Canadian Wilderness

            The moon was unusually bright, illuminating the forest around them well enough for Elisa's human vision to make out the path through the trees well enough not to stumble over roots.  Demona was shaky, and Elisa watched with some concern as the female stumbled.  The straight jacket that Castaway had specially made for the female kept her wings tight to her body and completely useless.  If it weren't for that, Elisa didn't doubt that Demona would have glided off leaving her alone in the forest.

            Castaway had captured them the night before.  Elisa had watched as Castaway spent an hour during the day beating the chained and helpless gargoyle in human form.  During his distraction Elisa managed to procure the keys to their chains.

            "I think it's clear."  Elisa was out of breath and started to slow down.  She didn't hear anyone in pursuit.  The Quarrymen on the train hadn't even noticed that they escaped.  The train was no longer even close enough to hear.

            "Need shelter."  Demona's shaky voice concerned the detective.  Elisa had never heard her sound so weak.  The damage from the beating had healed before the female endured her change, but ever since her change she'd been trembling uncontrollably.  "And I want this damned thing off of me."  Her voice rose in a semblance of her normal anger as she mentioned the straightjacket that held her arms and wings prisoner.  

            "Let me see the back of it."  Elisa spoke soothingly without even realizing she was doing that.  It had been hard to watch Castaway beating the female.  Demona hadn't been able to move at all, and tried to take the pain quietly as bones broke and cuts bled.  Her comment after the beating had shook Elisa even more.  Demona had told her that men like Castaway didn't tire of the violence, and it would only get worse each time.  She sounded like she'd been through this sort of hell before, she probably had been.  Elisa turned them both so that the moonlight fell on the series of locks along the back of the reinforced straightjacket.  It took a while to unlock all five locks, because she had a chain of over twenty keys and each lock took a different key.  Demona's trembling didn't help her move more quickly.  

            Elisa glared up at the moon that was causing the gargoyle so much trouble.  The clan had been talking about this night for months.  The Breeders moon was here.  The three couples of the clan were probably mating right now.  Two females from the Avalon clan had taken to the single males of the Wyvern clan, so there would be three eggs for the rookery soon.  She remembered Hudson explaining why he was so glad the young males had found mates, because the unmated gargoyles on the Breeders moon had a truly tough night ahead of them.  The need to mate was so strong it was painful to ignore.

            The last lock fell away and Elisa opened the jacket so that Demona would be free.  The gargoyle stretched her wings and shook them out.  "Thank you."  Elisa almost thought she'd imagined the quiet words.

            It took them some time to find the cave.  All the time that they searched by foot Elisa watched Demona and wondered why she didn't just glide away.  The gargoyle hardly spoke.

            "Why are you still here?"  Elisa finally asked as they settled in to the cave.  They didn't dare risk a fire at night, because the Quarrymen might backtrack to find them.  She stared at Demona's shaking form, barely outlined in the darkness and felt a wave of compassion for the suffering her long-standing enemy seemed to be enduring.

            When Demona spoke, it only had a hint of her normal venom.  "What?  Tired of my company already?  It was your bumbling that got me captured.  Just be thankful I don't kill you."

            Elisa had been locked up with Demona for over a day.  The venom and threats didn't affect her anymore.  If Demona intended to do that, she could have done that already.  For some reason Demona didn't want to be alone tonight.  She wasn't saying it, but the subtle glances that Elisa had been getting from the gargoyle ever since she freed her from the straightjacket gave Elisa the impression that she was right.

            Demona's voice grew louder and more accusatory.  "Goliath is finally seeing what the Breeders moon can do to punish those without mates.  You missed your chance to ease his suffering when you lead those bastards to my backdoor."

            Elisa glared at her.  "First off, I didn't lead them anywhere.  They had already found that clearing in the park before I got there.  I followed them!"  Elisa was tired of this argument.  Demona was determined to blame Elisa for this whole mess.  "What the hell were you doing anyhow?  A new way to enslave mankind?  A spell to try and control the clan?"

            Demona's eyes started to glow a bit redder.  It was the only light in the cave, other than the full moon beating on them.  "It was supposed to help me.  To…"  Demona growled as she stopped her explanation.  "It's none of your business!"

            The both silently agreed not to talk for a while.  Elisa wrapped her arms around her legs and leaned against the cave wall.  The quiet sounds of Demona trying to muffle her whimpers seemed to be getting louder.  Elisa glanced over at the gargoyle and could see that Demona was hiding herself with her wings.

            "I know everyone assumes Goliath and I are together."  Elisa spoke, trying to start a conversation that might take Demona's mind off of her current predicament.  "He's my best friend, and I did want… but that was a long time ago."  Elisa sighed.  "I really don't see a relationship with him in my future."

            "Let me guess.  He treats you like glass and thinks he knows better than you do what would be best for you."  Demona spoke quietly, her voice shaking.  It worried Elisa enough to scoot closer. 

            Demona was shivering non-stop and her skin was damp with perspiration.  Elisa reached out and moved a damp piece of hair out of Demona's eyes.  "You aren't looking too good."  She spoke gently as real concern plagued her.  She was shocked when Demona leaned into her hand, turning the moving of hair into a caress.

            Demona pulled back as if Elisa's gentle touch burned her and her eyes burned into the detective.  "Maybe you should leave."  Elisa could hear Demona's breathing becoming more labored and Elisa's eyes widened when she started to suspect why.  Her curiosity got the better of her and she reached out to caress the damp skin on her own, while watching the gargoyle's obvious pleasure at being touched.

            "I don't want you human.  Leave."  Demona tried to put her typical anger and attitude into that, but Elisa could hear the tremors in Demona's voice.

            Elisa licked her suddenly dry lips.  The sight of Demona leaning into her caresses was easily the most erotic thing she'd ever seen.  Demona's eyes were hooded in pleasure and her skin was so soft.  She'd never imagined that she'd see this gargoyle like this, and it was disturbing.  Maybe the pheromones that Hudson had told Elisa about somehow affected Elisa.  She shouldn't feel the desire to touch Demona again so that she could see her enemy's pleasure.

            After scooting away and leaning against the wall Elisa spoke.  "There isn't anywhere for me to go."  Her voice held a note of anger, since this was the only shelter they'd found in their searching.  

            They reached an unspoken agreement to not talk shortly after that.  Elisa stared out the cave entrance at the moon and the treetops.  They had to climb to get to this cave.  Elisa had almost fallen when they were halfway up.  Elisa kept replaying that one moment where she was sure that the fall would kill her as she desperately tried grip the rock.  It was Demona that reached out and grabbed her hand as she started to fall backwards.  It was Demona that had saved her and then make some mocking comment about how humans couldn't climb even the simplest of walls.  Why had Demona saved her?  She'd said that she didn't want Elisa's crumpled body giving the enemy a hint to where the gargoyle was going to be staying, but seeing the shaking of Demona's body and hearing the pitiful whimpers now, Elisa started to have an idea about another motive.  The glances the gargoyle had sent her way during their trek to this cave started to make more sense, that and the comment about Elisa losing her chance to ease Goliath's suffering.

            The moon was still high in the sky.  It would be a long time before sunrise, and it sounded like the torment that Demona was enduring got worse as time went by.

            Elisa took a deep breath and stared at the quivering wings of the beautiful blue female.  The detective didn't know where her moment of insanity was coming from.  Perhaps it was the perfume of desire that she had heard Demona would be putting off that made her consider this.  No one had mentioned it working on humans, but there had to be a reason that she found herself moving closer to the female and reaching out to caress the back of a wing that was being used as a screen.  She knew why Demona lowered that wing and allowed her to caress the blue skin of her face and arms.  She knew why Demona allowed her to push the gargoyle down to the cave floor while kissing her passionately.  She understood the mating desire would have made Demona eager for the detective's intimate touches as she made love to her, but Elisa didn't understand why she felt such a strong need to ease Demona's suffering, or why she'd allowed the gargoyle to make love to her in return when it was supposed to be nothing more than a way to help ease Demona's pain.  

*****

Present Day in the NightStone CEO's Reception Area

            Elisa fidgeted in her seat at the memory of the immortal gargoyle's touch.  It was easily the most intimate, most sensual, most arousing encounter Elisa had ever had.  And it had ended abruptly with the sunrise.  Once Demona didn't need her to combat the Breeder's moon, the redhead had stopped.

            Elisa's fists clenched at the memory of what had happened after that night.  They'd hiked to the street and managed to hitchhike with an older man to a small town.  Elisa had lent Demona her jacket to help cover up her unusual attire, but the gargoyle still got strange looks.  Once they were in town, Demona had walked away without looking back.  They'd found their own ways back to New York.

            Ever since then Elisa had only seen the gargoyle twice, and Demona hadn't talked to her either time.  The detective was angry with how easily Demona was able to set her aside, to ignore what had happened.  Something had happened in that cave that deserved more than avoidance.  It was true that Demona didn't appear to be trying to kill Elisa.  In the encounters with the clan Demona had avoided the openings that she normally would have taken with a cruel smile on her lips, and for that Elisa was grateful, but she'd never had a one night stand and she didn't like how it made her feel. 

            That one night stand had changed her life in ways that she'd never predicted, and Elisa was here to let Demona know that.

            The office door opened, startling Elisa out of her thoughts.  A man left and Demona stood in her doorway staring at Elisa with an unreadable expression on her face.  "I see you decided to make an appointment."  Demona spoke in a flat voice that easily expressed her displeasure at Elisa's presence.

            Elisa got up a little slowly.  She'd been sitting a while.  She glared at the redhead and practically shoved her out of the way to get into the office.  Neither of them wanted the receptionist to witness this.

            While Elisa sat down in front of Ms. Destine's desk, the CEO was addressing her receptionist.  "Carrie, you can go home.  Lock up on your way out."  Demona spoke quickly and then closed the heavy office door.  Elisa thought for a moment that this room must be sound proof.

            "So, detective…"  Demona started to speak as she moved around the desk to sit down.  "Why are you so determined to talk with me in person?"  The coldness in the voice sent a stab of pain into Elisa's heart.  Apparently that one night didn't mean as much to Demona as it did to Elisa.  Well, fine, she'll just deliver her message and get the hell out of here.

            Elisa glared at the redhead.  "Apparently you aren't the only woman that Puck decided to put a spell on."

            "What are you talking about?" 

            "That night he made me a gargoyle, he did some other tampering that he didn't reverse."  Elisa was still pissed off at that bastard for not telling her about this until after the fact.  She really should have had a choice in the matter.  Elisa noticed Demona's eyes narrowing, and for a brief moment wondered if it was because of any concern for Elisa.  Elisa dismissed that, realizing that it was Demona's own grudge against Puck that was making the redhead's skin flush with anger.  "He's one of the many people that assumed I'd be with Goliath that night.  He gave me the "gift" of being able to conceive.  I'm pregnant with your child."  A growl entered her voice as she watched the shocked disbelief cross Demona's face.  "And don't try to claim it isn't yours.  I haven't been with anyone else in years, and the ultrasound shows her wings very clearly."  

Elisa pulled out the file of proof that she'd known the redhead would need.  Once her regular doctor had told Elisa she was pregnant and not getting fat, she'd switched doctors immediately.  Her current physician was the one that treated the clan.  Xanatos and Fox had been very helpful in this past month, taking care of paying for the endless tests and ensuring that the news of her pregnancy didn't get out.  "Puck's spell was too open ended."  Elisa sighed as she handed over the file.  "He just said that if I mated with a gargoyle on the Breeder's moon I'd get pregnant.  Somehow the spell compensated for the fact that we're both female."  Demona stared at her blankly before pulling the file closer to inspect the pictures and test results.

Elisa had no idea how she was going to deal with telling her boss that she needed time off, since she couldn't tell Maria that she was pregnant.  Her child wasn't going to look human, and she wasn't going to be able to take her daughter out to do all the things she'd imagined she'd do with her child, some day.  Even though her life wouldn't be as she'd envisioned, she'd do everything in her power to keep her daughter safe and happy.  She just wasn't sure how she was going to do that yet.  She was just now getting to the point where she was able to think about the future.  

While Demona quickly read through the file Elisa scooted back in her chair and unzipped the long red jacket she'd replaced her bomber jacket with.  She was so tired of having to keep fully covered all the time.  Demona knew now, so Elisa didn't need to sweat from the heat of the office.  

Demona glanced up from the file and looked at the slightly bulging stomach.  It wasn't obviously a pregnancy yet, but the look of disbelief on Demona's face was almost comical.  Elisa started to chuckle.

"This is not funny."  Demona glared at her, "Is this some sort of elaborate joke?"

Elisa's eyes narrowed.  "No, this isn't funny.  Don't worry, I'm not expecting anything from you.  I just thought you had the right to know that you were going to have another daughter."  Elisa felt her eyes tearing up and it pissed her off.  She wasn't going to let herself get emotional over this.  She didn't need Demona!  She stood up quickly to leave.  The redhead didn't get up while Elisa marched to the door.

"Does the clan know about this?"  Demona pushed back from her desk, and Elisa saw the beginnings of belief in her eyes.

"No."  Elisa took a deep breath.  "As her other parent, I thought you should know first."  She then opened the door, effectively ending the conversation since the receptionist was still in the process of locking up.  Elisa left quickly, feeling relieved that it was over and still hurt that it hadn't gone better.  Maybe she had been expecting more from Demona.

*****

One Month Later at Castle Wyvern

            Elisa walked down the castle stairs, while listening to the sounds of labor.  Broadway had called her when Angela started to lay her egg.  Angela was the first of the three to get to the laying stage, and Elisa wanted to be there for her.  

            When she got to the rookery, her eyes widened in surprise to see Demona caressing Angela's sweat drenched brow-ridge.  None of the males were here, as was custom, but Elisa had assumed that it would have been one of Angela's rookery sisters with her at this time.

            Demona addressed Angela.  "Are you ready to bear down again?"

            Angela looked weary as she nodded.  Elisa stepped further into the room and the young female gave her a weak smile.  "You made it."

            Elisa smiled at her friend.  "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

            Elisa and Demona managed to be in the same room with Angela for another half hour, while never saying a word to each other.  They took turns comforting Angela, and encouraging her.  

            The egg rested on the straw and Elisa found herself just staring at it while Demona explained the proper care of eggs to her daughter.  The egg was as large as a newborn baby, but its shell was still soft.  How developed was the gargoyle inside?  

She didn't even realize that she'd moved her hand over the more prominent bulge of her own child, but the other females in the room noticed it.  

"When are you delivering your baby?"  Angela asked.  She sounded almost recovered from the ordeal of laying her first egg.  When Elisa looked up she could see Demona had tensed up behind Angela.  She didn't even acknowledge Demona when she answered.

"I should have another three months to go."

Angela smiled at her egg before looking up again.  "I envy you humans.  You get to see what your children look like right away."

Elisa could imagine the rude comment about human's reproductive abilities that Demona should have said at that moment, but the gargoyle was keeping strangely quiet.

Elisa had only told the clan she was pregnant.  Once she saw all the looks of shocked disbelief at that rather normal fact, she decided that she could tell them the rest later, so they all assumed that she was carrying a human child.  Angela had offered to baby-sit anytime that Elisa needed a night off, and she had no idea that it was her sister that Elisa was carrying. 

Elisa fell back to walk with Demona while Angela marched out to announce to the clan that the first egg had been laid.  It was an honor of sorts for her to be the first.  "I haven't told them…"  Elisa whispered.

"I know.  Angela told me about your pregnancy."  Demona glanced over at Elisa.  "Why?"

Elisa took a deep breath and smiled at Angela when she glanced back worriedly at Elisa's slow progress up the stairs.  Elisa spoke more quietly.  "The pregnancy was a big enough shock for them.  Once they are used to it I'll tell them the rest." 

            Once they were with the rest of the clan, Demona excused herself.  It was clear from several of the gargoyle's reactions that she wasn't welcome, and Elisa felt pity for her.  It was Demona's grandchild that had just been laid.  She wasn't likely to start a fight right now.

            That brought back the thoughts that she'd been having late at night while in bed.  Did she want to encourage Demona to be a part of their daughter's life?  The detective wasn't sure how she felt about that.  Demona was a violent female whose hatred of humanity might be the first lesson she tried to teach their daughter, but when she'd seen how gentle and loving she'd been with Angela tonight, she'd wanted that for her own daughter.

            Broadway came closer to give Elisa a gentle hug.  He was a very proud father.  Elisa pushed her own plaguing thoughts aside and allowed herself to be drawn into the conversations going on around her.

*****

One Month Later

            Elisa took another shuddering breath as she waited for the light to change.  Her talk with Goliath hadn't gone well at all.  Her getting pregnant by someone else upset him, but when he thought she'd been with one of her own kind he had accepted it.  When he found out that she'd been with Demona and the strange circumstances around the conception of her daughter he didn't take that as well.  He didn't yell or get insulting, but Elisa could see how upset he was by the sudden silence.

            He'd also said something that upset Elisa.  Pheromones don't work on humans.  The gargoyles had lived with humans for generations, and there wasn't a single case of it working on humans.  Elisa realized that all of her desire that night had been her own.

            She pulled over to get some things from the grocery store, but wasn't even to the front doors when she heard the loud clanging of something hitting a dumpster in the alley and the sounds of a fight.  She moved to run, but couldn't move as fast as she used to with the added weight of the baby.  She turned the corner and went to pull out her gun before she realized that she didn't have it.  She'd just gone on a medical leave earlier that day, and wasn't armed for work.

            "Look who we have here."  One of the men beating on a young man dropped the victim, who was too injured to move from where he fell and faced Elisa with an evil grin.  "It's the cop that busted me and my brother last year."

            Elisa took a deep breath and felt her heart plummet as she saw a friend of his covering the entrance to this alley.  She'd run right into danger.  "Lady cop doesn't look so tough now does she?"  He addressed his friend while Elisa moved to try and keep both men in front of her so she could see what they were up to.  "My brother got butt fucked in prison.  I say we take that out on her."

            She took a fighting stance, but she was terrified that one good hit to her stomach would damage the baby.  She focused on blocking the punch to her gut, and he managed to hit her in the face.  The cat-like roar from the alley was quickly followed by the sound of wings as the gargoyle slammed into the talkative ex-con and knocked him out.  The other man didn't manage to run three steps before Demona hit him so hard he went flying through the air into the wall.  He fell to the ground unconscious as well.

            Demona stormed up to Elisa her eyes still blazing.  "You shouldn't still be working!  What about the hatchling!  You can't take risks like this!"  Elisa just stared at the blue female, still a bit shocked that Demona had come to save her.  How did the gargoyle know she was in danger?  Was she following Elisa? 

            "I'm not working."  Elisa thought about telling Demona that it wasn't her business what she did, but she couldn't get over the fact that she was pleased that it was Demona that had come to her aid.  "I'm on medical leave.  I just… forgot."  Elisa stared down at the ex-con.  "Thank you."  She said quietly as the realization of how bad that could have gone hit her.  She was slower, and more awkward in her pregnancy.  She couldn't really run or fight like she used to, which was why she'd finally taken the medical leave.

            Demona reached out to hook her fingers under the detective's chin and Elisa almost pulled back in shock as the gargoyle inspected the bruised cheek.  "You're lucky this is all he hit."  Demona's eyes were still blazing.  

            Elisa looked down at the man the thug had been beating, and he was staring in shock at the gargoyle.  "I should call this in."  Elisa then stared into Demona's eyes and made a decision.  "Can you come by my apartment in an hour?"  The gargoyle nodded and then started for the wall to climb away.

            Elisa got home shortly before Demona was supposed to get there.  The gargoyle's concern tonight made the decision she'd been struggling with easier.

            "Detective."  The cool aristocratic voice spoke before Elisa had time to put her keys down.  It startled Elisa but she just turned on the lights so that she could see.

            "I think it's about time you called me Elisa."  Elisa moved to sit on the couch, and Demona looked hesitant, but she sat down in the chair opposite her.  Elisa watched the gargoyle and noticed how her eyes darted around a little nervously.  Demona wasn't comfortable in Elisa's home.  "Our daughter is going to be born, not hatched, so she's going to be with us soon.  I want you to have a chance to get to know our child, but I'm worried.  I don't want her to learn to hate humans."  Elisa saw the flash of irritation and moved to counter it before she had to endure another lecture about humans.  "She'll be part human, the doctor thinks she's mostly gargoyle, but she is part human, and so am I.  I don't want you teaching my child to hate me."  

            Demona's hands were clenched tight.  "If you insist on raising her blind to the danger that the humans bring, she won't live long."  Elisa hated that she could see the truth in Demona's comment.  If this child were to run or glide up to the wrong person, she could be hurt or killed.  Elisa hated to think of her daughter hearing the comments that she'd seen directed at the clan numerous times.  She'd seen too many Quarrymen conventions, too many attempts to kill the clan.  

            "I don't want her blind either."  Elisa sighed.  "I know that humans pose a threat to her, but I don't want her to live in fear either."  Elisa rubbed her forehead wearily before giving Demona a searching look.  "This is much more complicated than telling a human child to not talk to strangers."  When her hand accidentally ran over the bruise on her cheek she flinched a little in pain.

            Elisa glanced up at the gargoyle to see she seemed to have Demona's undivided attention.  "So, what I wanted to ask you tonight is do you want to be a part of her life?"  She waited tensely, because Demona didn't answer immediately like she'd hoped.  Elisa didn't want to play parent alone.  She wasn't ready for that, and Demona may be many things, but it was obvious that she was a very good mother.

            "What you want is for me to send money, but not really teach her anything she needs to know to survive."  Demona hissed angrily.

            Elisa stood up to start pacing angrily.  "Look at this place!"  She swept her arms around the apartment.  "How am I supposed to raise a gargoyle here!  I can't let her out of the apartment if I stay here or the neighbors will see her.  Even if they don't see her, they might hear her."  She turned to glare at Demona.  "I don't need money, because I can't continue to live on my own.  Fox has offered me a place to stay, and I accepted.  I didn't really have any other choice.  I don't like not having choices."  Elisa turned away to hide the tears of frustration.  "That's why I'm giving you one.  Do you want to know her or not?"

            "Of course I want to know her!"  Demona growled.  "The humans took Angela from me.  I didn't get to raise her.  I don't want to go through that again."  Elisa could hear Demona stand up so she wiped her tears away and turned to face her.  "But she is MY daughter too, and I want a say in how she's raised.  If you let Goliath raise her by clan traditions, she'll die so very young.  I can imagine he'll want to keep the old ways, but this city… these humans… it just can't be done."

            Elisa stared at Demona in surprise.  Why would she think Elisa would let Goliath raise her child?  "As a member of the clan, the leader has always had the most say over what happens with the hatchlings.  If you are living there, he will want to raise her in the ways of the clan."  Demona spoke a little more gently.

            "No, I don't think so."  Elisa grimaced remembering the way he was so distant when she told him who the 'father' was.  "I know he clings to the old ways too much, and I won't let that endanger her."

            Demona moved to stand right in front of Elisa.  "So how do we do this?  I'm not welcome at the castle.  That was made abundantly clear when I went to help Angela."

            "I don't know.  We'll have to figure it out."  She would have said more, but the baby in question shifted.  "I have to go to the bathroom.  I'll be right back."

            When Elisa came back out she saw that Demona was flipping through the book of names that Elisa had bought last week.  "I'm not naming her after some street."  Elisa gave Demona a conspiratorial smile.  She'd never told the clan how ridiculous she thought their way of naming themselves was, but she knew that Demona felt the same way.  Elisa saw Demona's genuine smile and it brought back some of the feelings that had gotten her pregnant to begin with.  She pushed the thought of how beautiful the female was out of her mind and stepped closer.  "I've looked through the entire book, but I still have no clue what to name her."  She pointed to the old cat in the corner, sleeping through Demona's entire visit.  "I named her Cagney, because of a T.V. show.  The cat before her was Lacey.  I've never been good with names."

            "Can I borrow this book?"  Demona asked a little hesitantly, and Elisa realized that this was it.  She'd opened the door for Demona to be involved, and the gargoyle wanted to help name the child.  How involved did Elisa really want her to be?

            "Sure."  Elisa noticed the way Demona's wings seemed to raise higher as the gargoyle started to glance at the index of the book.  It was obvious that the female was very interested in being a partner in raising their daughter.  Elisa felt a small smile tug at her lips as she watched Demona muttering about the cruelty of some of those names.  "We could get together to talk about names another day?"  Elisa was happy to surrender some control over that part of parenting, because she was sure whatever she chose would become an embarrassment to her daughter at some point.

            "You aren't working anymore."  Demona glanced up at Elisa.  "I could come by tomorrow night."

            Elisa was a bit surprised at the eagerness in Demona's eyes.  "Sure.  I'll make dinner."

*****

The Next Night

            Elisa had the dinner ready and was dressed in the best clothes she had that fit her anymore.  She would have done her makeup but she came to her senses before it had gone that far.  This wasn't a date.  Demona had only been interested in her for that one night, and now the only female that she was interested in was their daughter.

            After a nice dinner Demona pulled out a sheet of paper.  "I looked at several of these names.  Most human names are so bland and lack class."

            "Well you did find some were good Dominique."  Elisa smiled.  She'd thought that human name actually fit Demona well.  It was exotic, classy, and while being very feminine, gave a sense of strength as well.  It was much better than the detective's main alter ego, Sally.

            "Well, here is the list of ones I didn't find offensive."  Demona handed the paper over, and Elisa realized that this could have easily been done over email or the phone.  She took the paper and started to read the choices while Demona got up and took Elisa's glass away.  When she started to re-fill the orange juice for her.  Elisa looked up to stare at the gargoyle's back in pleasant surprise as she realized that Demona was actually getting her something.

            She took a sip of the juice as soon as Demona handed it to her and smiled at the thoughtfulness.  She could really get used to that.  Demona had been doing little things like that during dinner as well.  Elisa just hadn't made the connection until it was more obvious.

            "These are some good names."  Elisa glanced at the list and could have sworn that none of these names had been in that book.

            "You seemed pretty sure that it was a girl, so I only picked girl names."  Demona moved to sit beside her on the couch.

            "Puck and the doctors agree that with two mothers, the child would be a girl."  Elisa set the glass down and looked at the list of ten names again.  "I really like this one."  She pointed to the third name on the list.  "What do you think?"

            Demona glanced at the paper and smiled.  "Delilah it is then."


	2. Spreading the News

Spreading the News

By Princess Alexandria

has other stories that can't be posted here.

Email:  princess_alex24@hotmail.com 

Alternate Universe Fiction 

7 months and one week after conception 

            The boxes littered the floor in her bedroom.  She still had another month before she had to be out of the apartment, but she was packing what she could early to send it ahead.  It gave her something to do.  She'd only been off work a week and she was already bored.  She was starting her packing with her closet.  Most of that stuff didn't fit right now anyhow.  She only had a few outfits that she could wear.  She didn't have an income since she couldn't claim maternity leave, so what money she had was going to more important things right now.  

            "Are you supposed to move around so much?"  Demona's voice startled Elisa who spun around to stare at the gargoyle in her bedroom doorway.  It took a moment for long learned fear to fade away.  Demona had visited quite a few times since last week, but Elisa had always known she was coming.  This was the first time that Demona just dropped by unannounced.  

            "The clothes aren't heavy."  She answered while noticing Demona glancing at the box that she'd started to pack with her skirts.

            "I never saw you in clothes like that."  Demona stepped into the room and glanced into the full wide-open closet.  "I always assumed you only had a few items of clothing."

            Elisa smirked self depreciatively.  "I only wear the skirts if I'm under cover.  It's hard to chase down a perp in them, which is why I wear jeans all the time."

            After the brief and slightly surreal experience of talking clothes with Demona, the gargoyle started to help her pack.

            Elisa folded over the last box and labeled it.  Demona moved closer.  "I'm moving that into the living room."  Elisa gave her a puzzled look.  "It's too cluttered in here."  Demona waved at all the empty drawers and filled boxes.  The closet was almost empty now that it only had clothes that fit in it.  Getting around in the room was like moving through a maze. 

            Elisa watched at Demona started to grab the larger boxes and moved them to the far wall in the living room.  It was out of the way there and Elisa had intended to move the lighter boxes later, but Demona took care of those as well, not wanting Elisa to lift anything remotely heavy.  While the boxes would weigh next to nothing for the gargoyle, Elisa found herself watching Demona's.  She had to pull herself away from the sight of Demona working as the detective's own personal mover and started to label a few of the other boxes that still had to be moved.

            Once Demona placed the last box in the living room Elisa looked around and the emptiness of the room was a bit disturbing.  She'd lived here for years and it was starting to not feel like home.  Everything that she wouldn't need for the next few weeks from the bedroom was packed, and the room was sparse now.

            "There, now you shouldn't trip over it."  Demona's muttering under her breath in the living room wasn't as quiet as the gargoyle must have thought.  Elisa was surprised to hear that the gargoyle had moved all those boxes and stacked them up so neatly because she was concerned about Elisa tripping over them.  The detective had just thought it was Demona's own personal neat freak demons that made her detest the clutter.  The gargoyle was taking protecting to a whole new level, and the fact that it was Demona doing that stunned Elisa.  Goliath had in the past done strange little things to try and keep Elisa safe, but Elisa really didn't realize that Demona would be so protective of her.  Carrying Demona's baby had instantly earned Elisa a bodyguard.

            She shook herself out of her thoughts and went into the kitchen.  "Want something to drink?"  Elisa called out.

            "Sure."  Demona's voice was closer than Elisa had expected.  The gargoyle glanced at Elisa's belly and Elisa felt a little self-conscious.  She'd forgone clothes that would hide her pregnancy since she was planning to be alone and just wanted to be comfortable.  "When I was carrying Angela," Demona's voice was gentle and a soft smile was on her lips.  "I felt like I was getting ready to lay the biggest egg the rookery was ever going to see."  Elisa started to smile at Demona's expression.  "Luckily she wasn't even the largest egg of that season."

            Elisa hid a grin, "Are you telling me that I'm getting huge?"  She almost laughed at the suddenly wide eyed gargoyle trying to get out of that conversation, but she keep up a serious expression to make Demona squirm.

            "Well, no.  For a human you're not large at all."  Demona started to stare at the belly in question.  "If you were a gargoyle it might be a little large, but humans get bigger with their pregnancies."

            "I noticed."  Elisa remembered how Angela and the other females had looked right before laying their eggs.  "And don't think I'm not jealous.  A six month pregnancy is sounding really good right now."

            Elisa could see the darkness in Demona's eyes for a second and knew that Demona was thinking about how very quickly humans reproduced already.  This had happened before.  They'd be talking and getting along, but then something would trigger Demona's anger and hatred and Elisa would be able to see the gargoyle suddenly realizing that she was talking to a human.  

            "Mother?"  Angela's voice calling in from the skylight shocked them both into freezing in place for a second.  Elisa looked over to the female dropping to the living room floor while staring at them.  The wariness was easy to see and Elisa could understand that.  Demona used to only visit to try and kill Elisa, but they were now standing in the kitchen drinking and talking.  Elisa then turned a questioning look to Demona, who was still very tense.  They'd have to explain.  

            "So, do you want to or should I?"  Elisa said softly.  She'd been planning to tell Angela about her new sister for a while now, but after the way Goliath took the news she had been avoiding the castle for a while to give him time to adjust.  Demona nodded briefly, and then turned around to face the confused gargoyle in the living room.

            "Hello Angela."  Demona set her glass down and moved into the living room to give the young female a hug.  Angela's questioning look was aimed at Elisa while she hugged her mother back.

            Elisa watched quietly as Angela glanced around the room looking for some evidence of a fight.  "You didn't come to hurt Elisa did you?"  Angela was sounding very confused.

            "Your mother is actually here helping me pack."  Elisa smiled.  Demona turned to give Elisa a brief glare and Elisa's grin grew wider.  She knew it was her cruel streak re-asserting itself, but it was nice to not have to be the one to give the shocking news for once.  It took both of them to conceive this child, and now Demona was going to get to deal with her fair share of the responsibility in telling people.

            Demona had Angela sit down, but she was pacing around the living room silently.  Elisa debated about leaving Demona alone to do this, but wasn't feeling that cruel.  She moved to sit on the love seat and waited another moment.  If Demona didn't speak soon, she'd just start talking herself.

            "The Breeders moon."  Demona started and then turned to face Angela.  "We were captured by Quarrymen the night before."  Elisa was curious as to how much of the blame Demona was going to place at her feet for this whole thing, but she kept her face carefully neutral while watching the confusion growing on Angela's.  "I… We escaped."  Demona glanced at Elisa, and then down at the evidence of that night.  Elisa watched Demona seem to stand up straighter.  "There was a spell on Elisa… that damned Fey… and we…"  Demona sighed heavily and motioned towards Elisa.  "She's carrying our hatchling."  Demona really didn't win points for the most eloquent she's ever been, but Elisa could see Angela's eyes widening in understanding.  

            When Angela looked over at Elisa with those wide eyes asking for confirmation Elisa nodded just a little.  "Your carrying mother's child?"  Angela asked while staring at Elisa.  "How?"

            Elisa blushed at the memory of how she'd been with Demona, but that wasn't what Angela was really asking.  "Puck put a spell on me.  It made me very fertile on the Breeder's moon."  When Angela went quiet Demona started to look even more nervous.  Elisa started talking to interrupt the tense silence.  "Delilah is going to be born, she's not in an egg, but she is a gargoyle."

            "You mated with my mother?"  Angela stared at Elisa in disbelief.  Elisa blushed and stared down at her tightly clasped hands trying to regain her composure for this.  

            "Angela, honey.  Elisa and I were together, but it wasn't…"  Demona glanced at Elisa with a concerned expression on her face once before turning back to Angela.  "We bred but we didn't mate."  Elisa being a cop didn't miss the motion that Demona did with her hands, the pleading for Angela to not say anything more.  "We can talk about this later if you want."  Demona finally worded her request when Angela looked ready to ask more questions.

            Angela gave Demona a suspicious look before glancing at Elisa and noticing the detective's curious gaze.  "Okay.  Later."  Elisa glared at Demona.  It was so obvious that something was being kept from her.

            They stayed for an awkward visit for a little longer before Demona started to leave.  Angela followed her mother out with a determination in her eyes that let Elisa know that Demona was about to get interrogated.  The detective might hunt Angela down later to find out what was going on.

The Next Day

            Elisa opened the door so that Fox could come in.  The redhead glanced at the stack of boxes against the wall and then turned to glare at Elisa.

            "I had help.  I didn't lift those."  Elisa quickly defended herself.  That seemed to ease Fox's concern, but then the woman started to grin.

            "Anyone I know dropping by to help you out?"  Fox smirked at her.  "Goliath was away an awfully long time last night."

            Elisa sighed.  He was off brooding about Elisa's pregnancy; she was pretty sure about that.  She hadn't visited the castle since she told him.  He was her best friend and seeing that angry and hurt look in his eyes had been hard.  "No, I haven't seen him since I told him."  The look of quiet amusement died in Fox's eyes.  Fox was really the only woman that Elisa had to talk with about what she was going through.  The detective had been holding the woman at arms length in spite of all the help she was giving Elisa, because trusting her had been hard.  "Demona helped me pack.  She was worried that I'd do something to hurt the baby."  Once the look of surprise crossed Fox's face Elisa moved to sit down at the dining room table.  "I told her.  I felt she had a right to know."

            "Demona knows you're pregnant with a halfling and she isn't trying to kill you?"  Fox sat heavily in the chair across from Elisa.  Elisa had talked about telling Demona with Fox months ago, shortly before she actually did it.  Fox was convinced that the gargoyle would be upset with a partly human gargoyle.  While Elisa was concerned about that for a little while, she had decided to trust Demona not to purposely hurt a baby.  It was just her cop instincts that told her that Demona may be a killer, but she just couldn't do that.  She'd taken the risk of telling Demona and noticed that not once did the gargoyle suggest that anything should happen to the baby.  

            "After she got over the shock," Elisa gave Fox a slight smile.  "She seemed pretty excited about being a parent.  She's been visiting me a lot this last week."  Elisa noticed the searching look on Fox's face and couldn't help but blush.  She'd sounded entirely too happy with the gargoyle visiting her.  "She's just making sure I don't hurt Delilah.  She's under the impression that I tend to get into too much danger."

            "Well, I can see where she'd get that impression.  She did try to kill you dozens of times."  Fox's words didn't hold the disapproval that Elisa knew the clan would have when they heard everything.  For that she was grateful.  "Elisa, what are you doing?"

            "I never agreed with how Goliath cut Demona out of Angela's life, but she wasn't my daughter.  I just told him what I thought and let him make his own decisions."  Elisa's voice became more confident.  "But this is my little girl, and I won't do that to either of them.  I've seen how upset it makes Angela when she wants to see her mother but can't.  I've held her while she cried about being torn between her parents.  Delilah will never feel like that!  I'm not cutting Demona out of Delilah's life."

            "Are you sure about this?"  Fox stared into Elisa's eyes, clearly concerned.

            "No."  Elisa sighed.  "I'm not sure about anything, but I'm doing it.  All I can do is what I think is right and hope for the best.  I wasn't sure I was going to do it, but Demona saved me last week.  I was cornered by a perp that held a grudge and she saved me and started to lecture me about endangering the baby.  She looked scared.  That's when I made up my mind."

            "Well, that isn't what I expected."  Fox sat back in her chair.  "But if your mind is already made up."  Fox gave her a small smile.  "I know better than to try and change it.  So, you decided on a name.  Delilah sounds pretty."

            Elisa reached across the table and squeezed Fox's hand in thanks.  Too bad the clan wasn't going to be as understanding.

            The talked about moving arrangements, pregnancy, and the clan for the better part of an hour, before Fox finally asked something that she'd obviously been thinking about for a while,  "How did you manage to get Demona on the Breeders moon?"  Elisa blushed but wasn't surprised with the blunt question.  She was surprised that Fox had managed to not ask it until now.  That woman was nothing if not direct when it came to anything to do with sex.  "I saw the others and what they did.  I just can't imagine that you would have been able to do that."

            "What are you talking about?"  Elisa made love to Demona, but there was nothing that they did that Elisa thought Fox would wonder if she could do.

            Fox raised an eyebrow at Elisa's question, but she answered.  "The females took off from the castle wall and glided as fast as they could away from the castle.  The males chased them in pursuit and when they caught up to them all they did was capture them for a moment before letting them go.  The females then lead their male away to some other place to complete things.  I didn't get to see that."  Fox's voice got softer.  "I didn't understand why they did all of that, but Hudson explained it to me.  The males show their worth as a hunter when they are able to catch their mate.  Letting the mate go gives the female a choice on whether they respect the male enough to lead them away to a secluded place to mate.  If there wasn't respect, the male would be forced away and not let near her again that night while she looks for another worthy mate."

            Elisa went quiet and stared at the wall while she remembered that night.  She'd been running behind Demona, but she did catch up to her and held her still long enough to get that straightjacket off of her.  It was an eerie coincidence that their night did have a chase.  And she'd let Demona go, after freeing her… Demona had led them to that cave, because Elisa couldn't see well enough to find shelter on her own.  At that time Demona didn't suggest that Elisa find her own shelter.  She'd willingly lead Elisa to the cave, even helping her to get there.  Did that mean that Demona had deemed her worthy at that point?  Is that what those strange looks from her were about?  Demona's one attempt to get Elisa to leave was so weak that Elisa knew it was just being said because Demona thought that she should.

            "Elisa?"

            Elisa shook herself out of those thoughts to pay attention to the redhead in front of her.  "I didn't know all of that."  She silently cursed the fact that she'd avoided asking questions, because she was worried that Goliath would take her asking to mean she wanted to mate with him.  She'd mimicked all the courting rituals without even realizing it.  Did Demona think she knew what she was doing?

Two Days Later

            Elisa felt like she'd rather keep driving, but she pulled into the airport pick up lane when she saw her mother wave to her from the sidewalk.  She looked down and made sure her jacket covered the tell tale bulge.  Her mother had left for Africa shortly before Elisa found out about the pregnancy, and Elisa had been reluctant to tell her about it over the phone.  In fact she was reluctant to tell her at all, but it wasn't the sort of thing she couldn't hide forever.

            She really didn't know how her mother would take this.  Elisa was an unwed mother of a gargoyle baby.  And to top that off, it was Demona's child.  Diane Maza had heard a little bit about Demona from the clan, and while Elisa demanded that the clan not scare her mother with the details, the idea that Demona was dangerous was still easily communicated.

            When she drove up to her mother's house Derek was just getting home from work.  He was still living at home until he had enough saved for a down payment for his and Maggie's first house.  Their mother was waiting until he moved out to sell the house.  Their father had died last year, in a car accident, and Elisa's mother didn't need such a large house for just herself.  It had shocked everyone that he'd been a police officer all those years and then died getting groceries.  Elisa felt a wave of pain at the thought that Delilah would never see her grandfather.

Elisa got out and took the lighter of the bags her mother had with her, rather than going for a heavier one like she'd normally do.  "Hey, Derek!  Give us a hand over here."  She hollered out to her brother.  

            While thinking about her own unwed mother situation, Elisa couldn't help but think of Derek's soon to be wife, Maggie.  Somehow Derek had managed to date a Broadway actress.  She seemed so shy in person that it was hard to believe she walked about the stage in those skin tight outfits in full makeup.  She was getting regular work out of playing a singing cat, since it was a favorite around here and had been for a while.  Her natural shyness made her an odd choice for Elisa's outgoing brother, but they had been together for a couple of years and were still going strong.

            "Take your coat off and stay a while."  Diane Maza told Elisa as she took the last of her bags upstairs.  

            Elisa sighed heavily but didn't move to do that just yet.  Derek was inching towards the door.  "I'm meeting Maggie's parents tonight."

            Elisa gave him a small encouraging smile.  "Good luck with the future in-laws."

            "This is one particular pain that you were spared."  He changed his coat to a nicer one.  "You already know the entire clan."

            Elisa grimaced as she realized that her brother was yet another person that assumed that she and Goliath were more than friends.  "I'm not dating him."  She protested but he just smiled at her and left.  Boy, was he going to be surprised when he found out.  

            "You are staying aren't you?"  Her mother's voice pulled Elisa's eyes away from the closed door.

            "Yes, I am."  Elisa's heart was pounding like it did when she was chasing some crook through the alleys.  "We need to talk."

            Elisa could see her mother instantly knew that this was something serious.  She moved to sit on the couch and Elisa sat down beside her while still wearing her coat.  It was warm in here, but she wasn't letting her mother find out by seeing it.  "Mom."  Elisa sighed.  "I'm pregnant."  

            "What?"  Her mother looked stunned for a moment.  Elisa took that moment to pray for strength, because this was not easy.

            "I didn't realize it when you left, but I've been pregnant for a while."  Elisa sighed.  "She's a gargoyle."

            "Goliath's?"  Elisa was impressed with how easily her mother seemed to be accepting that her grandchild would be a gargoyle, but she sounded so sure that it was Goliath's child.  

            "No."  Elisa saw a lot of surprise then.  "It takes magic for a gargoyle and human to have a baby.  I had a spell on me and didn't know.  It was pretty powerful."  Elisa stared into her mothers eyes.  "It even made it possible for Demona to get me pregnant."  

            Elisa stood up and took the coat off then.  It was far too warm inside, and it was proof.  She could see her mother didn't quite believe her.  "I'm almost seven and a half months pregnant."

            "How could you not have known before I left for Africa?"  Diane's voice rose a little.  "I would have stayed."

            "Mom, detective work is hard on a woman's body.  I haven't really been getting regular periods for years, and I didn't think that what Demona and I did… would lead to this."  Elisa sat back down.  "I didn't know about the spell."

            "So are you and… God, isn't Demona the one that the clan told me about?"

            Elisa spent the next half hour explaining that yes, Demona was the clans enemy, but she was going to be a parent to Delilah.  She also explained why she'd be living with the clan in the castle.  Her mother's strange quiet gave Elisa a new sympathy for what Demona had felt while telling Angela.  When she left the house an hour later Elisa felt like she had just run a marathon.  It was pretty strange.  She could have sworn that her mother was more upset with the fact that Elisa didn't have a lover to help her through this than with the fact that her grandchild wasn't human.  She'd asked a few times about Demona's feelings about humans, and about Elisa in particular.  When Elisa made it clear that Demona still hated humans, and didn't want a relationship with Elisa, her mother had seemed upset and started asking how Demona was going to share responsibility for Delilah.  


	3. Father Figures

Father Figures 

By Princess Alexandria

has other stories that can't be posted here.

Email:  princess_alex24@hotmail.com 

**Alternate Universe Fiction**

7 Months and two weeks after conception

            Elisa was sitting on her couch looking through the newspaper ads for baby furniture.  The knock at the door had been expected, but the redhead at the door was the wrong one.  "Dominique?"  Elisa barely managed to not say Demona's true name, as her neighbor walked past with her arms full of groceries.  Elisa stepped back and let the woman in.  Demona hadn't visited during the day before.

            "I had a meeting in the neighborhood."  Demona explained quietly, while glancing at the ads that Elisa had been looking at.  "I overheard some women talking.  It looks like they were right."  Elisa followed Demona in looking at the ads, but didn't get what Demona was talking about.  "They said that raising a child is expensive, and you have to shell out thousands of dollars before the baby is even born."   Elisa noticed the hesitant expression on Demona's face.  "We didn't need much back when I was around a rookery last, but things have changed."  

            "Fox was going to take me shopping for some furniture for the nursery today."  Elisa noticed that Demona tensed up a little at that.

            "You don't have enough money for all of this stuff."  Demona's eyes stared into Elisa.  "I'm giving you some money."  Demona said suddenly.  "You need money for things and food.  You need to eat better."

            Elisa remembered Demona's angry comment that Elisa was only after her money and her eyes narrowed.  "I don't need your money."

            Demona glared at Elisa but before she could say anything someone else knocked on the door.  Elisa moved to answer it and let Fox in.  Fox's expression of shock at seeing Demona standing next to the dining table looking angry was quickly covered up.

            "Hello Demona."  Fox said rather politely.

            "Fox."  Demona gave a minimal and cold reply, before proceeding to ignore the other woman.  "Elisa, you're an out of work detective.  You aren't her only parent.  Take the damned money!"

            Elisa glanced at Fox pointedly.  This wasn't an argument that someone else should sit in on.  Demona completely ignored that and stared at Elisa.  Fox was watching all of this with interest and Elisa was sure that Fox was thinking about the conversation just a few days ago where Fox had offered to pay for this shopping trip and Elisa had refused.  Elisa was planning to shop thriftily and spend her savings.  "I didn't tell you just to have you toss money my way."  Elisa stared at her.  "I have it under control!"

            "Only you would make this difficult!"  Demona hissed at her.  "Other human females complain that the other parent doesn't give enough and I can't get you to take a dime."  Elisa watched as Demona pulled out an envelope and tossed it on the table.  "I take care of what's mine."  Demona's lips were tight as she marched past Fox and left.  Elisa was about to grab the envelope and chase after her.  She didn't like the way that Demona had practically called her a deadbeat the last time money came up, the day that Demona found out about Elisa's being pregnant and her pride didn't like relying on Demona for this.

            "She's right."  Fox's voice was quiet, but it stopped Elisa from turning to chase after the gargoyle in human form.  "She's rich, and she's Delilah's parent.  She has the right to give you money."  Elisa turned to see Fox leaning up against the wall.  "We both know you are a proud woman, but this was a completely unexpected expense, and you just don't have it."  Elisa sighed and sat down at the table.  "Protecting doesn't pay well, but business does."

            Elisa opened the envelope and the number on the check made her eyes go wide.  "This is way too much."  Fox moved forward and rested a hand on Elisa's shoulder as she read the number.

            "Not if she's paying for the first 18 years in advance."  Fox plucked the check out of Elisa's hands and studied it.  "Of course this could also be something else.  You do realize that no one else would have agreed to let Demona near a hatchling don't you?  She has to know that the clan will disagree with you."

            "You think she's trying to pay me off so that I don't change my mind?"  Elisa stared at the back of the check and had to agree that it sounded like something Demona might do.  She almost got angry, but when she thought about the number on the check she could see the desperation that Demona was feeling.

            Elisa stood to the side as the men Fox had drafted from security carried the furniture she'd bought into the nursery of her new home.  She was going to move more of her own stuff over in a few weeks, but the boxes that she and Demona had packed lined one wall in her living room.  This place had a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and a nursery.  She shared a kitchen with the rest of the castle inhabitants.  It was actually a lot more private than she was expecting.  She thought she might just get a room like the one that she sometimes stayed in during the day, a guest room.  She could smell the unmistakable odor of fresh paint and realized that Fox had this place remodeled for her.  When she started to eye the rooms more critically she could see where a door had been added, to combine two living spaces for her.  

            She'd still been careful to not spend too much even though Demona had given her a couple hundred thousand dollars.  She was only going to use what she absolutely needed of that money and keep the rest in savings for an emergency.  She still wasn't comfortable taking that money, but she could see that Demona wanted her to have it.  Of course she was going to have to have a talk with the gargoyle to let her know that she didn't need to buy Elisa off.  Elisa made a commitment to Demona when she said she'd let her be a part of Delilah's life, and Elisa kept her promises.  

The only piece of furniture that she really splurged on was the crib.  A gargoyle baby would be stronger, so she wanted to make sure to get a solidly built crib.  Unfortunately all of the furniture would need to be assembled.  Elisa felt like sitting down and working on it now, so that she could see what the room would look like, but the sun would be setting soon.  She needed to make an appearance before the clan started patrols.  She hadn't seen them in a while.

            The clan had grown a bit in the past year.  Elisa stood watching the sunset and looked at the two new members of the clan.  Lex was standing near his mate Evelyn.  She was just a little taller than Lex, had larger horns and black hair.  Her skin was a forest green when she wasn't stone.  Evelyn had instantly fallen in love with the technology of the twenty first century.  That had given Lex a chance to get to know her, since she was often asking him about computers, helicopters, cars and anything else mechanical.  It was no surprise when they left Avalon that Evelyn was with them.  Everyone had figured that she'd be Lex's mate shortly after meeting her.

            Brooklyn's mate was more of a surprise.  Theresa was a calm, gentle, motherly type.  Being with her had calmed Brooklyn's impulsiveness.  He was also less quick to anger.  Goliath was very happy with the influence Brooklyn's mate had on him.  Theresa was a delicate looking female with blonde hair and purple skin.  She usually had a soft smile on her lips while talking with someone.  It was assumed that she'd become the primary rookery parent when the eggs hatched.  While she was a good nurturer, she wasn't a very good warrior.  Having her stay by the eggs, and safely inside the castle was the best plan really.

            She sighed as she watched the stone start to crack on her friends bodies.  She had hoped that Goliath would come to her before she had to visit, so that they could work some things out.  

            "Elisa!"  Lex called over and jumped down from his post.  He didn't forget himself so much as to not help Evelyn down from her own spot, but he came over quickly, while smiling his greeting.  The others came over too.  She must have been gone longer than she realized or she wouldn't get such a welcome.  Elisa glanced up at the large male standing back from the hellos.  He looked awkward, but he nodded towards her.

            "Elisa.  It's good to see you again."  Goliath's deep voice carried easily, and so did his tension.  A few of the clan glanced his way with a question in their eyes.  Angela's eyes caught Elisa's and they shared a moment of understanding.

            "Goliath."  Elisa gave him a small smile.  She hoped that he'd be over it, but it may take more time.  If it hadn't been Demona maybe it wouldn't have hurt him as much.  "Can I talk to you?"  She gave a weak smile to the assembled clan and stepped over to him.  He just nodded and motioned for her to lead the way to someplace private.

            She led him to her new rooms.  They weren't fully furnished yet.  It only had a couple chairs that she'd stolen from the kitchen.  She watched him glance at all the boxes in the nursery through the open door.  "I'm going to be moving in here in a couple of weeks."  She started quickly to keep herself from stalling.  "Are you going to be okay with this?  Delilah is going to obviously not be human.  The clan is going to have to know."

            He finally looked into her eyes.  "This is the safest place for you and your child.  Of course I want you here."  He sighed and Elisa gave him a weak attempt at a smile.  "You are a part of our clan.  You belong here with us.  Delilah will be a part of our clan as well."

            She knew that was supposed to be a comforting thought, meant to make her think of protection and belonging, but Demona's words about tradition made her a little tense.  Now was not the time to address that though.  She would have plenty of time before Delilah was old enough for any traditions that Elisa couldn't approve of.

            "Thank you."  Elisa spoke softly and reached out to take his hand.  He squeezed hers a little desperately, the only indication of how much this hurt him.  She knew that he was in love with her.  She felt a bit alarmed at that evidence that he wanted more from her.  She just didn't feel it, not like she used to.  It would be so much easier if she could love him the way he loved her.  She glanced at the front door.  "I have to tell them."  She sighed, not looking forward to the announcement, but wanting to get out there and away from this awkward feeling that being alone with Goliath gave her right now.

            "They will be shocked."  Goliath let go of her hand.  "But you are clan, and they will adjust.  It's not as if Demona were moving in."

            "But she may be visiting."  Elisa took a deep breath.  "I've agreed to give her visitation rights."  Getting him to agree to let Demona come here would be much simpler than trying to get Delilah across town to the female's mansion.  An entire clan could keep the female in line, they shouldn't have any trouble, even if Demona didn't behave just to be around her daughters.

            "What?!"  He stared at her in shock as his voice rose.  "No!  She can't come near any of the hatchlings.  She'll corrupt their minds!"

            Elisa didn't like the command in his voice and glared at him.  "Delilah is my child.  I've made my decision, but if you don't want Demona to visit the castle I'll respect that.  I even understand that.  I had just hoped that I wouldn't have to try and take Delilah across town in a car every weekend."

            "Why are you doing this?"  Goliath stared at her with glowing eyes.  "To allow your daughter around her?  You know that she hates humans, what will she teach the hatchling?"

            "I didn't say her visits wouldn't be supervised, and I already told Demona that I didn't want her teaching Delilah hate.  That we'd find some other way to make Delilah understand why she can't just…"  Elisa felt tears in her eyes as she thought about the fact that Delilah wouldn't have any children to play with for a long time.  She could easily imagine a little child wanting that badly enough to try and find friends, and she wasn't going to be able to allow her daughter that.  She shook herself out of those thoughts and back to the conversation.  "Demona wants a clan so badly that she'd protect Delilah with everything that she has, which is a lot.  She can be a good mother, I've seen her with Angela and I know she has it in her."  Elisa sighed.  "And as long as she's behaving herself I see no problem giving her a chance to have her daughter's love.  I think she could use it."

            "You think you can blackmail her into behaving so that she can see your daughter?"  Goliath stared at Elisa.  "That was your plan for Angela, and now your going to subject a small hatchling to this gamble?"

            "It's not blackmail."  Elisa didn't like that term.  "It's more positive reinforcement.  Demona goes a week without destroying the planet and we go visit for a night.  You know that she calmed down after she met Angela.  She hasn't started any major plans to destroy the humans in a while."

            "What are you talking about?"  Goliath's body stiffened.  "She almost destroyed the entire city with that stone spell, she almost killed you, and she almost destroyed the world with that virus while Angela was here."

            Elisa turned to stare out the window.  She glanced over at him.  He had been horrified by the possibilities and Demona's obvious intent when the city was under that spell, but the female hadn't done it.  Owen had managed to get the security footage for when she was stone.  Elisa had watched with wide eyes as Demona walked up to her menacingly, glared at her, walked around her frozen body like a shark with a mace in her hand, but the gargoyle never struck.  She'd raised her weapon and held it shakily in the air as the red glare of her eyes intensified, but that arm fell back to her side helplessly.  Demona had been set to take the killing blow and she didn't do it.  The clan came in thinking that they got there just in time to stop her, but Demona had already decided to leave Elisa in one piece.  That still confused Elisa.  A few other humans had died to that mace that night, but when Demona had the chance to kill the human she seemed to hate more than all the others, she couldn't do it.  When she tried to bring Goliath in to see the footage, she found the tape destroyed by the VCR.  Owen was working on trying to get it out of the machine in one piece, but he didn't manage it.  Goliath didn't quite believe Elisa when she just told him about it.  She was a detective, and he didn't trust her opinion when it came to Demona even when she'd seen it and he hadn't.  She'd seen something in the female's eyes that seemed like there was hope for her, that with some help she might put the hate away.  Goliath had already tried several times and didn't have the energy to hope anymore.  She'd tried to bring that up several times since then, but he seemed to think she was deluding herself, or that she just wasn't able to accept how close to death she'd come.  She'd been a hell of a lot closer to death several other times.  It was him that couldn't handle how close he thought she'd come to it.  She could argue until she was as blue as Demona, he wouldn't change his mind about that night.  

            That virus was deadly.  Xanatos had scientist check it out and it could have done what the female claimed it would.  She was ready to destroy all mankind with a flick of her wrists.  Elisa remembered the look Demona had given Angela that night.  It held a desperation that was clearly pain.  Demona wanted to do that so that humans wouldn't get the chance to hurt her daughter.  The female hadn't been able to meet Elisa's eyes that night.  She glanced over Elisa at the others, but she couldn't look at Elisa.  No one else caught that look of relief in Demona's eyes for just a second when Goliath broke the Praying Gargoyle and took the choice away from her.

            "If Demona ever really wanted me dead, I'd be dead."  Elisa sighed.  She'd seen the gargoyle truly fight with everything she had against Quarrymen, and she never came even close to that level of deadliness in her fights with Elisa.  These are the things that kept her from being able to fall asleep easily ever since that night in the cave.  Elisa was starting to suspect that Demona never really did try to kill her.  Until she saw Demona try to fight the Quarrymen off of the two of them in the park before being captured, Elisa had no idea what a fighter the gargoyle truly was.  None of the clan had seen Demona fight like that.  The only reason that Demona didn't win was because it was an ambush with what looked like over forty Quarrymen, and even then it had been a close call.

            "Don't be so sure about that Elisa."  Goliath rested his hand on her shoulder, obviously meaning to comfort her.  "The clan would never let her hurt you."  He pulled her back into a loose hug, completely missing the meaning behind her words.

           Elisa watched the clan from the doorway quietly.  The guys were joking about the commercials on T.V.  Hudson was petting Bronx.  Angela looked up from the table that she and her rookery sisters were talking and nodded to Elisa.  She obviously knew what was coming.  Goliath walked past her into the room and gave her an encouraging look.

            "Guys, I need to talk to you all for a moment."  Elisa felt a little sick from her nervousness.  She probably should have told them all as soon as she knew.  It wouldn't have seemed like she'd been lying then.  The T.V. was turned off and nine gargoyles gave her their undivided attention.  Elisa glanced at Angela and the female gave her a weak smile.

            "There's something about my daughter that you should know."  Elisa moved into the room and sat down on the edge of a chair.  "She's a gargoyle."  She could see confused faces and widening eyes.  "She's Demona's daughter."  Her heart pounded as she waited for the recriminations.  Her moment of weakness with Demona wasn't supposed to become public knowledge like this, but the pregnancy changed all of that.

            "Wha… Wha…"  Lex stammered.  "How?"

            "Last I checked Demona was a female."  Brooklyn crossed his arms in front of him and stared at Elisa with obvious irritation.  "This isn't very funny Elisa."

            Elisa stared at him a moment.  "No, it isn't.  A spell made it possible for us to conceive on the Breeders moon.  A little leftover spell from Puck's wild night when Demona had the mirror.  We… well…"  Elisa blushed, but she kept her no nonsense attitude going, while trying to ignore her embarrassment.  "We had sex that night, and the spell took it from there, combining our DNA and rendering me pregnant with Delilah.  A gargoyle."  Elisa sighed.  "Our daughter."  She ran her fingers through her hair nervously.  She was getting several confused and disbelieving stares.  

            "I've already informed Elisa that the hatchling is welcome to be a part of our clan."  Goliath addressed the gargoyles and Elisa could see Lex and Broadway starting to believe it, since Goliath wasn't one for practical jokes like this.  

            "I'm going to be moving into the castle in a couple weeks.  My apartment isn't safe enough for her."  Elisa watched as Angela moved from her place to stand near Elisa in support.   She gave the female a small smile and squeezed the offered hand briefly before letting it go.  "She's coming out minus egg, so we'll have the pitter patter of little gargoyle feet a little sooner than you guys expected."

            She went quiet and the silence was filled with tension as the clan struggled to come to grips with what she'd told them.  Theresa and Evelyn were less stunned than the rest, but then they hadn't really met Demona and came from Avalon, where Fey magic wasn't that rare.  It was Angela that broke the silence when it got so long that Elisa started to feel the need to squirm under the intense stares aimed her way.  "My offer to baby sit still stands.  I'd like to spend time with my sister."

            Broadway fidgeted in his seat.  "I'm sure that having a hatchling to practice on will be good for me.  I can practice father like stuff."  Elisa gave him a smile, but then turned to look at Brooklyn and couldn't read his expression.  

            Theresa cleared her throat and Brooklyn glanced up at his mate for a moment.  Elisa watched the way they could communicate silently with just their eyes and felt a pang of envy at that.  

            "Elisa."  Brooklyn turned to look at her.  "I'm sure that Delilah will have no shortage of clan around here."  He still seemed bothered, but he gave her a tight smile.

            "Thank you."  Elisa spoke softly.  He was the one that she was most worried about.  She didn't want his hatred of Demona to affect how he treated her daughter.  His tension didn't ease her concerns.

            "How could you be pregnant with her hatchling?"  Lex asked while staring with wide eyes at Elisa.

            Elisa swallowed a little nervously.  "I explained.  The spell took our DNA. Combined it and implanted me with it."

            "I think what he wants to know, is… why her?"  Brooklyn interrupted, not that he needed to.  Elisa had purposely misunderstood the question because she didn't want to announce to the clan how she ended up having sex with the clans' enemy.  Brooklyn's eyes started to burn, "Did she force you?"  He asked in a soft voice that didn't hide the anger he felt at that thought.

            "No."  Elisa snapped.  "She didn't."  She ran her fingers through her hair as she sighed.  "It was consensual, and it was just that one night.  I really don't feel like talking about this with everyone."  She glanced around at the gargoyles staring at her.  These were her friends, and they didn't look very convinced that it wasn't rape.  Goliath knew, she could see it in the sadness in his eyes.  He knew that Elisa had chosen to give herself to his ex.  Angela looked appalled that anyone would suggest that her mother was capable of ever doing something like that, and Elisa agreed with her.  Demona wasn't a rapist.  She didn't have that in her.  She was far too tender of a lover, far too considerate, to ever stoop to that.

            Brooklyn wasn't looking convinced, and his eyes held pity and anger.  His rookery brothers seemed to be looking to him and Elisa could see that they would be easily swayed to believe that if she didn't clear this up now.  "We were captured by the Quarrymen right before the Breeder's moon."  She sighed as she was forced to give away more about her personal life.  "We managed to get away and hide in a cave until morning."  She tried to not glance at Goliath, but she imagined that she could sense his pain at hearing any details anyhow.  It made it more real.  "She was having a hard time with the Breeder's moon, and I… I initiated things.  She didn't force anything."

            The tension in the room was overwhelming as the clan quietly digested the idea that their friend had pursued Demona.  Elisa stood up and her voice rang with false cheerfulness.  "Well, I have to get back to work assembling the nursery furniture."

            "I'll help you."  Angela spoke gently and glanced at Goliath, who was staring at the floor and obviously upset to know how active a role Elisa had taken.  Elisa wondered if he thought that she'd managed to get pregnant just with a kiss.  That thought had her wondering if that alone would have been enough for that spell.  Puck had been so careless in making it that powerful.

            The silence in the library continued while Elisa and Angela walked down the hall.  Angela followed Elisa into her room, but after closing the door behind her she stood staring at Elisa, rather than moving to open one of the boxes of furniture.  "You initiated things with my mother?"  Angela spoke softly while staring at Elisa so intensely that Elisa felt she was about to be interrogated.  Of all the clan, Angela and Goliath were the ones that she was most uncomfortable talking about this with, because she couldn't brush them off.  Elisa felt like they deserved explanations.  "Why?"

            Elisa felt trapped for a moment.  It took a conscious effort for her to calm down.  Why, that had been something she'd asked herself pretty often.  She'd been able to list several reasons, but none of them really rang true.  She didn't like watching Demona suffer and shake with her need, but it wasn't purely pity that made Elisa reach out to the gargoyle.  Demona had helped her get to a safe place, but it wasn't gratitude that motivated her either.  If she hadn't reacted so strongly to Demona's touch she might have been able to fool herself into thinking one of those explanations would cover it, but the gargoyle was so beautiful, so sexy, so needy that night, and it made Elisa feel…  "I wanted to."  Elisa blushed at the admission while turning to stare out at the night sky out of the large window.  

            "Do you love my mother?"  Angela took a few more steps into the empty room, coming closer to where Elisa stood staring at the city.

            "What?"  Elisa's eyes widened a little as her voice rose.  "No, no…"  Angela rose one eyeridge while staring at her.  Elisa grimaced at having to explain any of this.  "I find her,"  Elisa sighed in resignation.  "I find her attractive, but I'm not in love with her.  It was supposed to be just that one night.  The pregnancy complicated everything."  She moved her hand over her stomach.  "But I wouldn't trade Delilah for anything."

            She felt her daughter starting to kick and smiled.  "Give me your hand."  Elisa smiled softly at the confusion in Angela's eyes as she complied.  She took that hand and rested it over Delilah's temper tantrum.  She started to wonder if the baby would have Demona's short fuse.  Angela's eyes widened as she pressed more firmly on Elisa's stomach.

            "You can actually feel your hatchlings move?"  Angela's voice was filled with awe, and Elisa kept the smile of triumph off of her face.  Delilah was a great distraction, saving her mommy from more awkward questions.  "That's amazing."  Elisa had never noticed the pregnant females having anyone touching their bellies and started to realize that a hatchling sheltered in an egg and ten years away from hatching wouldn't be moving much.

            "It's amazing now, but she's usually only active at night.  It can really mess with my sleep."  Elisa grinned as she remembered being startled awake a few times.  The conversation stayed with pregnancy and babies for a little while, as they started to unpack the pieces of the crib.  

            They were quietly laying out the pieces when Angela started again with the questions.  "Do you love my father?"

            Elisa put her piece down and sighed heavily before looking up.  "I love him like a friend, but that's it."  Her eyes held sadness with that admission.  Her love life was a disaster.  The male that loved her so very much inspired no passion in her, and the female that barely tolerated her existence, and hated all humans, made her feel more passion than she'd ever felt before.  Angela just nodded like she'd expected that.  She must be the only one that did, because everyone else seemed to assume that Elisa was going to end up being Goliath's mate.

            Shortly after that talk there was a tentative tap on the door.  Elisa opened it to find Lex and Evelyn standing there.  "You're putting stuff together?"  Lex gave a small grin.  "Cribs aren't motorcycles, but I'm sure I could help."

            "WE could help."  Evelyn added with her own smile.  Elisa moved to open the door and let the couple in.

           Shortly after that Broadway came in with snacks.  He wasn't planning on helping assemble anything though, because he wasn't mechanically inclined.  He did stay to visit.  The topic of Demona didn't come up during the visit, as everyone evaded it, sometimes a little awkwardly.

            Angela hung back as the others left and stared at the assembled furniture with Elisa.  "This is shaping up to a nice room."

            "Yeah."  Elisa smiled at the mobile hanging over the crib.  Delilah wouldn't be big enough for the crib right away, but it was ready to go.  The bassinet for a very tiny baby sat in the corner waiting for the little girl.  This was going to be a very nice room for Delilah.

            "Elisa."  Angela's voice was serious and Elisa turned to find the female staring at her and not the furniture.  "Mother…"  Angela sighed and Elisa could see her weighing her words carefully.  It was now that she remembered that Angela had left her apartment with Demona in search of answers.  "When I was with egg, Broadway was protective of me, but he'd let me go out on patrols, or out with my rookery sisters and wouldn't feel the need to follow me to make sure I was okay."  Elisa stared at Angela when the female turned towards her.  "I don't know if you realize that mother is following you around.  She's checking on you every night to make sure you are okay.  I've seen her sitting on the roof of your apartment several times since I came to visit you at your apartment."

            Elisa's eyes widened at that.  Demona was stalking her?  How long had she been doing that?  No wonder she was able to save her from the thug by the grocery store, she was watching.  This was a complete invasion of Elisa's privacy.  Elisa clenched her fists.

            "Please don't be mad with her."  Angela spoke quickly, clearly regretting having said anything.  "I've been worried about you to.  You live out there without the protection of the clan.  It's only because I was checking on you too that I saw her."  Angela gave Elisa a weak smile.  "You were family to me long before you became pregnant with my sister, but now that you are… I just…"  

            Elisa took a deep breath and stared down at the nearby buildings.  "Thanks for telling me.  I'll talk to her."  Glancing up to see Angela's concerned and guilty eyes she added, "I just think we should talk about this.  I don't plan to argue with her over it."

            "Have you ever thought that it isn't just Delilah that mother is trying to protect?"

            Elisa grimaced.  "No, it's just Delilah."  She sighed and moved to leave the new home with Angela in tow.  "I'm far too human for your mother."  She didn't notice Angela looking at her thoughtfully as Elisa opened the door for then to leave.  "I'm going to go home and see about that chat."  Elisa added while trying to smile at Angela comfortingly.

            Elisa stopped at the grocery store on the way home and didn't run into any muggers, robbers, quarrymen, or supernatural beasts.  She did, however almost get run down by a skateboarder.  Only her sharp reflexes kept her from dumping her groceries on the ground.  The immediate pain in her back made her grimace, but she continued to load the groceries in the car.  She could have had quite a few words with the teenage boy, but he quickly disappeared.

            Elisa groaned from the pain in her back as she shifted to shut her apartment door behind her while carrying three bags of groceries.  The sound of wind was the only warning she had that she wasn't alone before the gargoyle took the bags from her hands, startling Elisa.  Her heart pounded heavily for a moment, as she stared at Demona looking at her in disapproval and concern.  "You're hurt."  Demona put the bags down on the kitchen peninsula and came up to her again.  Elisa glanced at the open skylight and realized that Demona must have been camping out on her roof.

            "You can just come in if you want, you don't have to sit on my roof."  Elisa put her hand on her lower back, where the pain was coming from and tried to straighten up a little.  Her grimace let Demona know that wasn't comfortable.

            "Your back?  Come sit down."  Demona reached out and held Elisa's arm while guiding her to sit at the dining room table.

            "I need to put the groceries away."  Elisa started to protest as her eyes caught the carton of ice cream that would melt if it wasn't taken care of.  Demona just ignored her and started to do it for her.  The gargoyle had no trouble figuring out where everything went.  That's when Elisa really realized how much time they'd been spending together.  Demona was at home here.  A pang of regret that she had to move surprised her.  She'd actually miss the way the gargoyle could just drop by to visit her.  "Thank you."  Elisa spoke softly while studying Demona while the gargoyle put the ice cream away for her, and started to stack up her canned food the way Elisa liked it in the cabinet.

            "You shouldn't be carrying so much."  Demona scolded without looking at Elisa.  "You could have your groceries delivered to your house, that is what I do.  I'm far too busy to grocery shop during the day."  Demona turned with a box of cookies in her hand to glance at Elisa.

            "I noticed you liked them."  Elisa felt a little embarrassed at Demona realizing that she'd bought those cookies she hated because Demona had finished the last box.

            Demona looked a little awkward as she slid that box into the pantry.  "Well, thank you."  Elisa could hear something in Demona's voice that made her think the gargoyle was keeping her back to Elisa to hide her emotions.  

            Delilah started to get active again and Elisa tilted her head while staring at Demona's back.  "She's kicking.  Do you want to feel it?"  Angela had seemed so amazed, and Elisa hadn't let Demona touch her stomach, it had seemed too awkward.  Demona turned to stare at Elisa with a little shock and a hesitant glance to the detective's stomach let Elisa know that Demona did want that contact.  "Come here."  Elisa spoke gently with a small smile on her lips.  She was almost surprised when Demona actually did it.  Elisa reached out and took Demona's hand to place it gently over the area of most activity while watching Demona's face.  The gargoyle was so busy staring at Elisa's stomach she didn't seem to realize that she was being watched.  The look of joy and surprise on Demona's face when she first felt her daughter kick was breathtakingly beautiful.  Elisa almost never saw the gargoyle this happy and in that moment, she realized she was in trouble.  When Demona smiled at her it actually made her heart skip a beat.


	4. The Other Parent

The Other Parent 

By Princess Alexandria

has other stories that can't be posted here.

Email:  princess_alex24@hotmail.com 

**Alternate Universe Fiction**

7 months and three weeks after conception

            Demona stared down into the skylight and noticed the boxes already packed.  Didn't that human understand anything about rest?  Demona's eyes burned for a moment as she watched Elisa pulling a chair over to the kitchen cabinets to start pulling the dishes off the top shelf so that she could pack them.  She could have easily went inside and insisted that Elisa let her take care of that, but the detective had been very vocal about not caring for Demona's coddling anymore.  As if Demona was coddling the woman, she was just trying to make sure that Elisa didn't get hurt… didn't damage the hatchling.

            Demona had lived outside of human society for her long life, but she'd seen many women and children die during childbirth.  She'd seen many human females have to bury their offspring before the baby had taken its first breath, and most often it had been the woman's own labors that caused that.  Live born creatures were all so fragile.  Demona didn't want to lose them… the hatchling, she didn't want to lose the hatchling.

            She sat down on the rooftop to watch, not really feeling like having a conversation.  Elisa didn't like when she did that, but that was just too bad.  Demona wasn't the detective's lap dog like Goliath.  She didn't just bow before the woman's feet and do what she was told like some sort of pet.  She'd just stay here and make sure Elisa didn't push herself too far.  The detective had a habit of thinking she could do anything.

            The gargoyle tilted her head and smiled at the detective when Elisa grinned wickedly and tossed a particularly ugly plate at the wall, watching it shatter with a smile of joy on her face.  She actually chuckled at the fake look of dismay as it's twin hit the wall as well.  Those plates must have plagued the detective's cupboards for a long time for Elisa to take such joy in their demise.

            Elisa continued to pull the other plates down without tossing them to their doom, her moment of destructive playfulness over.  Demona missed it.  That look was so rare on Elisa, she'd been so serious since she found out about the pregnancy.  

            Dishes and glasses were packed away carefully, even though Elisa had mentioned that she wouldn't need them where she was going.  Her brother was going to be getting them since he was getting a house soon.  Demona sighed as she watched Elisa pack.  This was bothering the detective far more than she let on.  Elisa liked her independence, and living with the clan was going to be hard on her.

            Demona smirked.  Of course living with the clan would show Elisa all of Goliath's flaws.  Somehow the gargoyle had managed to be on his best behavior around the detective, but he couldn't do it every night all night.  If there had ever been a hope of those two getting together, this pregnancy and the subsequent overbearing and demanding attitude that Goliath was bound to exhibit would stop that.  Elisa wasn't any more likely to care for Goliath's attitude than Demona had, and with a hatchling in her care already, Elisa may turn into a real wildcat if he pushed her.  Demona hoped he pushed Elisa.  The thought of her human taking Goliath down several pegs was so delicious.  He always took the idea that the clan leader made decisions about the hatchlings too far.  Then the clan didn't know which hatchling was theirs, but that tradition was dead now.  Angela and the other two females were very aware of which egg they had laid, and Delilah was hers.  The smirk faded from Demona's lips as her fist clenched.  Delilah was hers, and god help the clan if they tried to keep her from this daughter!

            Elisa stepped off the chair and Demona released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding as the detective's feet hit firm ground.  Safe.

            The detective was a bit of a puzzle to Demona.  Elisa had agreed to let her into her new daughter's life when the male she'd been mated to for years denied her right to be with Angela.  Even beyond that, she'd heard that same detective talking to Goliath in Paris.  She'd been stunned when Elisa and Goliath talked about Angela being her daughter.  The idea that she had a daughter, and she was alive had filled Demona with joy while she hid in the shadows to listen in to the animated discussion between her ex-mate and Elisa.  That joy had been tainted when Goliath refused to tell Angela about her.  It turned to surprise when Elisa argued that Angela had a right to know, and that perhaps Angela should be introduced to Demona.  Elisa gave the reasoning that if Demona knew Angela was her daughter, she wouldn't attack her.  That was very insightful, because before she'd even set eyes on the young lavender female, Demona had loved her for merely existing.  She would have stayed longer to listen to Elisa's very vocal protest to Goliath's decision to never tell, but the sun was going to rise and she needed to get out of range from MacBeth so that he wouldn't feel her pain.

            Months later she'd managed to get a spy inside Xanatos Enterprises.  He'd gotten several surveillance videos to her and she made sure that he hadn't viewed them.  If he had, she would have killed him.  He was untrustworthy, all humans were untrustworthy.  She couldn't have him knowing that Angela lived there.

            She was shocked at what the tapes showed her.  Elisa was still arguing on her behalf.  She had several tapes of Elisa standing up to Goliath and trying to get him to see reason, trying to get him to allow Angela to visit with Demona.  Her heart ached when she also saw Elisa comforting her daughter after the clan had been telling the young female lies about Demona, and completely ignoring the fact that it was Goliath's blind trust in humans that had killed the clan.  She'd watched with her jaw hanging open as Elisa told Angela that the clan was wrong about Demona, and that Demona wasn't a monster.  Elisa told Angela that her mother was so much more than the clan was willing to see, and wouldn't listen to her when she tried to point that out.  That Demona's hatred wasn't absolute and that her ability to love wasn't dead, that Demona loved Angela very much and the female should never doubt that.

            Demona watched the detective in the kitchen carefully wrapping the dishes before putting them in the box and shook her head lightly from side to side.  Elisa defied description.  Demona had tried several times to find the detective's human failings, like they all had.  She'd spied on the detective often ever since Goliath had chosen to save the human rather than his own mate, and she couldn't count the number of times she'd sat on this rooftop in the past few years trying to understand how this human could be so different from the rest of them.

            The sound of wings traveled to her and Demona tensed as she looked up to see Angela smirking at her while she glided overhead.  The young female continued on her patrol without stopping to talk but that look on Angela's face made Demona grimace.  It's the same look Angela got every time she caught Demona here.  Angela obviously thought that there was more to Demona's feelings than there were.  Demona turned to stare into the kitchen again.  She was just protecting what was hers.  Elisa was so very careless with her safety.  Delilah needed someone to watch out for her human mother.

8 months after conception

            Demona glanced at the clock for the fifth time in the past hour, and almost growled at how slowly it was moving.  She picked up her pen and started to sign all the forms that her secretary gave her.  In spite of her impatience, she knew better than to sign without reading each one carefully.  Carrie hadn't made any mistakes yet, but Demona wasn't willing to risk signing something that would come back to haunt her.  The last paper on the pile surprised her.

            She carried that paper out to the lobby to ask about it.  "Carrie, you requested some time off during reports week."  That was the week each month that Demona dedicated to meetings with her department heads and reading all the reports on how things were running.  It was strictly forbidden for her secretary to request that week off and she knew it.

            Carrie looked a little nervous as she looked up at Demona.  "My ex-husband is taking a vacation and agreed to let me have my son for that week."

            Demona went quiet as she heard more about Carrie's personal life than she had in the past five months that she worked here.  She didn't even know that Carrie was a mother.  She didn't care to know about her employees personal lives, she wanted them to leave that at home and not bother her with it.  She stared at Carrie and could see the young woman flinch just a little.  "I don't get to see Nathan very often.  His father moved him to New Jersey and I couldn't leave New York."

            "He just moved your son away from you without even considering this?"  Demona found herself asking, rather than snapping that it wasn't her concern.

            Carrie seemed to relax a little bit.  She didn't have the deer in headlights look anymore.  "We didn't split on the best of circumstances.  He barely keeps the court ordered visitations.  I hardly ever get to see Nathan at all.  Just a weekend a month, and I have to go to New Jersey and stay at a hotel to do that.  He probably figured moving that far away would keep me from being able to do that, or that I'd get tired of the drive."  Carrie sighed and Demona leaned against the file cabinet.  

            "Fine, one week, but you need to find a replacement for the front desk."  Her eyes narrowed.  "A good replacement."  She really shouldn't let Carrie have that time.  She needed the woman here.  Surely Carrie could find a babysitter for that time.  She signed the request and handed it to Carrie.

            "Thank you Ms. Destine."  Carrie sounded so relieved.  Demona just nodded and moved to go back to her desk to wait for Elisa.  She'd spent the past week making the mansion look more kid friendly and was now going to show Elisa where she lived.  She wanted Elisa to feel comfortable bringing Delilah to stay with Demona, to maybe let her have a week once in a while.  

            Elisa got there at a little before five.  Demona was ready to leave and the drive to the mansion was quiet.  Demona could see that Elisa was tired.  "You've been working too hard packing and moving haven't you?"  Demona glared at Elisa while they sat at the stoplight.

            The detective sighed.  "No, I didn't push myself too hard.  I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night."  Demona had to start driving, but she kept glancing over at Elisa when she could.  "I left when the movers got there.  I should have all of my stuff moved by the time I get back to the castle."  Elisa sounded a bit defeated and Demona could bet on what kept the detective up all night.  Elisa hated to depend on others, and this move was going against everything that she wanted for herself.  She was asked to move into that castle several times, but hadn't because she liked her privacy and liked not owing Xanatos.  This was a big bruise to her pride and Demona actually felt a little bad for Elisa.  She was only doing this to keep their daughter safe.  The detective was making large sacrifices to do that, and while Demona did feel some sympathy with that, knowing that Elisa was willing to protect Delilah and put their daughter's needs first made her feel better about having gotten this particular human pregnant.  As if she would have let any other human touch her.  Demona grimaced at the turn her thoughts had made.  She tried to not think about that night.  The moon had hit her harder than normal, and made her do something incredibly stupid.  The idea that she'd mated… No, bred… with this human still stunned her.

            Demona smirked when she noticed Elisa's eyes go a little wider as they drove up the driveway to the mansion.  The detective had never seen Demona's home, and the gargoyle knew that it was impressive by human standards.  That was foremost in her mind when purchasing it.  It was fitting for a CEO of a large corporation.  

            Demona had shown Elisa the entire downstairs, and was now covering the upstairs part of the tour.  She felt her heart pounding a little faster as she neared the last room on the tour.  She glanced over at Elisa and noticed the detective admiring the paintings on the walls.  "I bought a few things."  Demona started as she pushed the door opened to reveal the other part of what she'd spent the last week doing.  The walls were a soft pink, with various stuffed animals adorning the tables and dressers.  Demona had seen the room before but started to look at it as if for the first time.  She grimaced at the cutesy drapes and the Mickey Mouse mobile above the crib, suddenly feeling embarrassed for buying such things.  She turned to glance at Elisa and noticed the detective's shock and pleased expression and decided that she hadn't done too badly after all.  "For when she visits."  Demona spoke softly while watching Elisa step into the room and pick up the stuffed dog laying in the crib in place of an actual hatchling.

            "It's beautiful."  Elisa's smile was so… Demona had to drag her eyes away from the detective to glance around the room again.

            "Well, shall we go have dinner?"  Demona felt the need to do something, to get away from Elisa's constant stare.  "I ordered Chinese, but it needs to be reheated."

            "Sounds good, but lead the way." Elisa set the dog back under the blanket.  "This place is too huge, I'll get lost."  Demona seriously doubted that.  Elisa probably had the entire place memorized by now.  The detective was pretty smart about knowing all the exits and potential danger spots of a place.  She'd seen Elisa in action, and the human was a warrior at heart.  A warrior learned her environments fast, to be better able to protect themselves.

            After a pleasant dinner with conversation Demona was almost ready to invite Elisa over for the next night.  She stopped herself.  Elisa had unpacking to do, and she had to settle in with the clan.  Their days of spontaneous visits were over.  Demona knew that if she tried to stop by the castle she'd get shot out of the sky.  It was ridiculous to visit so much with the human now anyhow.  She was just spending so much time with Elisa so that Elisa didn't get hurt, but Angela would make sure nothing happened to the detective now.  She was free to spend her evenings doing other things.  That was a good thing.  Her studies in magic had suffered in these past few months while she watched over the danger prone detective, and she really needed to get back to it.  She also hadn't done any surprise evaluations of any of her departments, and couldn't let them think that she was getting soft.

            The thought of magic made her think of something.  "I'd like to teach Delilah magic when she's old enough."  Demona started while watching Elisa's discomfort at the idea.  Delilah was Demona's daughter too, and she had the right to teach her the skills she'd need to be able to survive.  Demona's eyes narrowed as she waited for the human to dictate how she could and couldn't interact with her own daughter.

            Elisa took a deep breath, "I'd like for her to have a choice in the matter.  If she is old enough, and wants to know…"  Elisa seemed really uncomfortable with the idea, but Demona was seeing that the human wasn't dismissing the idea right away like Goliath would have for Angela, like she assumed the detective would have done.  "I know you wouldn't teach her anything that would put her in danger, but I'm still worried.  I don't know anything about magic.  I'm not really equipped to…"

            Demona took pity on Elisa's fish out of water expression.  "The first several years of training would just be learning Latin.  I wouldn't start actual spells until she's old enough to understand magic isn't a toy."

            "Oh, well good."  Elisa slumped a little and Demona suddenly realized how tense that conversation made the detective.  Perhaps the more serious conversations about raising Delilah could wait until the hatchling was born.  Stress might be bad for an expectant mother.


	5. The Waiting Game

The Waiting Game 

By Princess Alexandria

has other stories that can't be posted here.

Email:  princess_alex24@hotmail.com 

**Alternate Universe Fiction**

8 months and two weeks after conception

            Fox smiled flirtatiously at the waiter when he refilled their drinks.  Granted he was attractive, but Elisa just didn't see how the redhead could do that when she was married with a child.  Still, she didn't say anything about Fox's come-hither eyes.  It was getting them better service, which was probably Fox's goal.  The woman may be a horrible flirt, but something about the way she'd seen Fox and Xanatos interact made her think that he really didn't mind.  It seemed to amuse him how easy it was for his wife to use her sex appeal to control other men.

            Once the waiter was gone Fox turned to smile at Elisa conspiratorially for a second.  "Not bad.  What do you think?"

            Elisa glanced over at the young man taking an order at a table across the restaurant.  "I think he's just out of high school."  She liked Fox and her teasing ways, but every conversation with her descended to sex at some point.  She'd never realized how sexual Fox really was until after Elisa found out she was pregnant and found herself spending more time with the ex-mercenary.

            Fox's grin was purely wicked as she leaned a little closer to Elisa.  "Is he too young, too human, or too male?"  Elisa felt her face blush at the direct question, but when she didn't answer Fox continued with her teasing.  She aimed her flirtatious smile at Elisa and coupled it with sweeping her long red hair off of one shoulder.  "If you still have a thing for redheads, I might be able to drop by once in a while."

            Elisa found herself glancing around the restaurant to see if anyone was seeing Fox blatantly flirting with her.  When she didn't see anyone paying attention to them she decided to finally fight back.  Fox had been teasing her about having sex with Demona for a few weeks now.  She slowly took her hand and tucked her hair behind one ear while tilting her head down to look up at Fox through her eyelashes.  She smirked at Fox's raised eyebrow as she gave the redhead her own version of bedroom eyes.

            "Well, now I see how you managed to tame her for that night."  Fox gave Elisa a grin and then laid out her napkin because the waiter was back with their dinners and Elisa blushed at the strange look he gave her.  Someone witnessed that.  Great, just great.  

            Once they were alone again Fox rested her fork on the side of her plate and looked at Elisa with a more serious expression on her face.  "I never knew that you were bisexual Elisa.  I normally catch that sort of thing."

            "Do you like having all our private conversations out in public?"

            Fox grinned.  "No one is listening in.  We're far enough from the other diners.  You're still a little closeted aren't you?"

            "Look."  Elisa spoke in a harsh whisper.  "I'm not in the closet.  Everyone knows what I did with her." 

            Fox calmly took a sip of her wine while watching Elisa, completely unconcerned that she'd struck a nerve.  Having Fox as a friend was a double-edged sword.  "Was she any good?"  Fox just smirked at Elisa's glare.  "Was she your first female?"

            Elisa sighed heavily.  "I'd experimented once in college, but Demona…"  She couldn't believe she was going to admit this.  "Demona was the best lover I'd ever had.  It was amazing."  Elisa focused on filling her fork up rather than looking up at Fox after that admission.  Fox was staring at her with a thoughtful look on her face before wiping that serious expression away before Elisa looked up again.

            Fox gave Elisa a smirk.  "The Best eh?  Maybe I should be dropping by that mansion of hers too."

            The teasing lasted through the first half of dinner, but by the time they were driving back to the castle they'd moved on to other topics.  "The doctor doesn't really know how long I'll be pregnant.  We're just going by the norm, but it could be longer."  Elisa sighed at the thought of being pregnant longer.  She was eager to get her body back and evict the small tenant.  "She'll have to be a C-section."

            Fox grimaced in sympathy.  "I imagine that's where the egg would have been useful.  Too many sharp edges on gargoyles."

            Elisa turned to stare out the window.  "That too, but I want to make sure that her wings aren't damaged during birth."  She almost added that Puck should have thought about this, but just kept it to herself.  Fox wasn't Puck's keeper, and she didn't want to seem like she was accusing Fox of anything.  After a moment of silence Elisa spilled her latest problem.  "Demona wants to be there to see Delilah right after she's born.  Actually she wants to sit in the room and make sure the human doctors don't do anything to Delilah, but with it being a C-section…"

            "The clan is really not going to like that."  

            Elisa grimaced.  "The clan doesn't make my decisions, I do.  If I want her there, then she'll be there, and he can just learn to deal with it."  Her voice held venom.

            "Sounds like you've got some other problems as well."  Fox pulled the car into the parking place but made no effort to get out.  She turned in her seat to give Elisa her full attention.

            "He's tried convincing me that I'm wrong."  Elisa clenched her fists.  "He said that I shouldn't subject a tiny hatchling to Demona's hatred and insanity.  That I should not let Delilah visit Demona.  He even started to claim that she had a spell on me or the pregnancy was making me irrational."  Elisa wiped her tears away.  She hated arguing with Goliath about this.  "He's convinced that he knows her better, but he's spent less time with her since he woke up than I have in the past two months.  She's not who she was a thousand years ago, and she's not the monster that he thinks she turned into.  He just won't listen to me at all."  Elisa took a deep breath and tried to calm down a bit.  Her voice was raising too much.  "I can't do that to her, tell her she can have a daughter and then take Delilah away.  That is so beyond cruel.  I made a promise and you should see what she's done to her house so that Delilah will feel at home.  She's so happy, I can't take that away from her.  I don't want to take that away from her."  Elisa took another deep breath to try and calm down while Fox reached out to rest a comforting hand on her knee.  "I know he's concerned, but he never did listen to me when it came to Demona."

            "So what are you going to do?"  Fox asked the question that Elisa kept asking herself.  This time she had an answer.

            "I'm going to have Demona there for the delivery.  I'm going to keep my promise and bring Delilah over every week.  I'll just have to beat it into his head that I've made up my mind."  Elisa sighed and stared out the side window, making no motion to leave the car.  She really hoped that her friendship with Goliath could survive this, but she had to do what she thought was right.  "When he wouldn't move from the castle I had to just move the clan myself.  I'll just do what I think is right and he'll come around eventually."

8 months and three weeks after conception

            Angela helped to put Elisa on the hospital bed, even though Elisa knew she could do it herself.  Her water broke while she was helping Angela and Broadway cook.  The doctor had been called, but Elisa was pretty sure she had a while before it became an emergency.  The frightened look in Angela's eyes wasn't really called for.  Once she'd told Angela how Delilah was going to have to be born a few days ago, the female had been worried.

            When the doctor came in Angela stood by the bed to offer support.  Elisa addressed her first.  "Could you call Demona for me?"

            Angela gave her a helpless look.  "Father told me not to.  That is was an order."

            Elisa glared at the door as if it were Goliath as she listened to his complete disregard for the decision she'd already told him she'd made.  She didn't want to get Angela in trouble or pulled into the argument.  "It's okay Angela.  I'll call her."

            After Angela left Elisa endured a few minutes of questions and exams.  She stopped him from injecting her with anything and swung her feet off the bed.  She was going to find a phone and make that call herself.  The doctor pointed her to his office.

            After the third ring the gargoyle answered.  "Demona, I'm in labor."  Elisa started with that right away.  "Can you come?"

            "Of Course.  I'll be there soon."  Fox's serious expression drew Elisa's attention away from Demona's answer.

            "Just a minute.  Don't go anywhere."  Elisa spoke distractedly.

            Fox stepped into the room.  "Goliath is on the castle wall watching for her."

            "Shit."  Elisa felt helpless rage at his thick headedness.  This wasn't his concern; it was between Elisa and Demona.

            "Give me the phone.  We'll sneak her in."  Fox spoke wearily and waved for Elisa to hand it over.  "You can't wait for him to wake up and listen right now."  Elisa handed the phone over and Fox spoke with authority.  "Demona, Goliath is being a problem, so I can take the limo out.  I can bring you in on ground and we can get you down here before she has the child."  Elisa sighed at the mess this was.  "Where do you want to meet me?"

            Once Fox helped her to the bed again Elisa turned to face her.  "Thank you for everything you are doing."  She could never have dealt with this pregnancy without Fox's support.

            "No problem."  Fox smiled at her.  When she turned to leave she addressed the doctor.  "Try to wait for us."  She smiled soothingly at Elisa.  "You too."

****************

            Demona glided as fast as she could towards the city.  Elisa was stubborn and would probably try to wait until she got there, but if the baby started the process of being born the regular way it would severely damage the human.  Demona grimaced at the thought of giving live birth to a gargoyle.  There was a reason that gargoyles came in eggs.

            She circled over the alley that she'd arranged to meet Fox in and saw the redhead leaning against the limo hood waiting.  She landed right in front of Fox, who gave Demona a searching look before opening the limo door for her.  "Let's get going."  They still had a ways to go, because they'd met far enough away from the castle that hopefully the clan wouldn't notice.  

            Demona stared out the darkly tinted limo window in silence.  Her daughter was going to join them today.  She was nervous and worried that it wouldn't go well.  A mother, she was going to be a mother to a hatchling.  She grimaced at the fact that she had to sneak in to see her own daughter's first breath.  If she didn't she could very well end up arguing with Goliath all through Elisa's delivery.  That was probably his plan anyhow.

            As they started down the street the Eyrie was on, Demona heard Fox call ahead.  "Owen, I'm coming in with Demona.  Is the hall clear?"  A moment of silence and Fox seemed more battle ready when she spoke again.  "Dammit, you couldn't get them to leave?  No, of course you couldn't."  Fox sighed.  "Are the new steel clan robots operational?"

            "What?!"  Demona spoke indignantly.  "I will not have those robots causing havok with my daughter in the building!"  She could see that Fox was planning to use the robots to hold the clan back, but that would start a full out battle just feet away from Elisa and Delilah.  They could get hurt in the crossfire.

            Fox parked the limo and stared at Demona in the rearview mirror.  Demona took that opportunity to glare at the redhead.  Fox spoke.  "Okay, fair enough."  She addressed Owen again.  "Never mind the robots, we're just gonna march right in and hope for the best.  At least Goliath's still on the castle wall."

            After they got out of the limo Demona hissed at Fox.  "I can't believe you would have used those things."

            "I wouldn't have."  Fox stared at Demona while they waited for the elevator.  "I was testing you.  Elisa seems to think you care about Delilah.  If she's wrong, I will make you regret it."

            Demona glared at Fox as they entered the elevator.  When it started to descend she took a few deep breaths.  This was going to be hard to get past the clan if they were as bad as Fox had hinted at.  She would have assumed that if Elisa said she wanted her there the clan would have grudgingly let it happen.  Goliath was actively going against Elisa's wishes, and while she had wanted him to show Elisa what an overbearing ass he could be, this was inconvenient.  

            As soon as the elevator doors opened she heard it.  "What is SHE doing here?!"  Brooklyn's angry question demanded no answer, so she ignored him and carefully noted the environment.  The hallway was wide, with chairs on either side.  The door at the end of the hallway must be where Elisa was, but the entire clan minus Goliath was seated along the way staring at her warily.  Only Angela seemed relieved to see her.

            Fox started to walk so Demona did as well, but she used her ears to listen for any sudden shifts in position.  Brooklyn stood to stop their progress.  "No, Goliath doesn't want you near Elisa."

            Demona gave him a cruel smirk, while hating the delay.  "Well, that is obviously too late or she wouldn't be delivering my hatchling tonight, now would she?"

            "Brooklyn, Elisa asked for her."  Fox interrupted the staring match.  "She's trying to hold off her delivery until Demona gets there, and that isn't safe for her."

            "Having this murderer in there when she's defenseless isn't safe for her."  He glared.  Demona noticed a female with purple skin reach out to try and take his hand.  So that is his mate?  She noticed he stiffened when she turned her attention to stare at the young female he'd mated with before turning to him in a silent threat.  The young female didn't have any warrior air about her.  Demona would use whatever she had to in order to get to Elisa now.

            "Elisa wants mother in there."  Angela interrupted Demona's cold stare.  "The doctor told her she needed to stop waiting and she won't.  Mother needs to go to her."

            Demona started her march towards the door while trying to not let them know how much Angela's words about Elisa not doing what the doctor said bothered her.  She noticed Brooklyn reaching for her, but Elisa's scream stopped them all in their tracks.

            "WHERE THE HELL IS DEMONA?!"  seemed to echo off the walls, making Demona's welcome clear.  Brooklyn stepped back to allow her past and Demona tried to not run to see what was wrong.

            "I'm right here Elisa."  Demona said as soon as she entered the room.  "I just got delayed in the hall."

            Elisa's skin was flush and she was in obvious pain.  The doctor nodded her way and started to prep Elisa for the procedure.  Demona didn't really know what to do.  The typical laying eggs things wouldn't apply here.

            A nurse walked up to her and actually managed to startle Demona.  She turned her angry red glare to the woman after she was able to tear her eyes away from Elisa's vulnerable looking form.  "If you want to be in the OR, she said you could be.  You will need to follow me to get prepped.  We need to get her in there right away."

            Elisa had mentioned letting her sit in on this, and it still stunned her the level of trust the detective was showing her.  She just nodded and followed the human nurse to get prepared.  She needed to be there to make sure these doctors didn't do anything to hurt Delilah when she came out.  Their daughter wasn't a guinea pig.

            She could hear the arguing going on in the hall, and was glad that Elisa was too distracted to hear it.  She didn't need the added stress of the clan's disapproval.

            The hospital scrubs must have looked ridiculous on her, because Elisa managed to smile.  The mask covered her own mouth, so she just raised her eyeridge in response, making the detective smile even more.  The O.R. looked clean enough, but Demona was still concerned about infection.  She moved to sit beside Elisa's head.  The detective seemed just a little out of it when she spoke.  "I'm glad you made it.  I don't want to be alone."  The nurse then put the mask over Elisa's face.  Demona not knowing what to do with her hands, rested one on Elisa's arm to try and comfort her.

            Demona started to caress Elisa's upper arm gently while the doctors worked.  She didn't want to see what they were doing to Elisa's body.  She was going to leave here and kill Puck as soon as Elisa and Delilah were safe.  

            Delilah came out covered in Elisa's blood.  Still she was stunningly beautiful.  The nurse took Delilah away to clean her up before showing Elisa, and Demona felt tense as she watched the human walk away with her hatchling, but she couldn't leave Elisa alone now.  The doctor was starting to put her back together, and the human was awake for this.  

            "She's beautiful."  Demona stared into Elisa's anxious eyes and smiled.  Her own eyes were stinging a little with tears.  "You'll see in a moment.  She's absolutely beautiful."

            The nurse carried Delilah closer.  "She's a girl."  As if they all didn't already know that.  Still Demona didn't bother snapping at the nurse, she just held out her arms to take her daughter.  She stared into the hatchlings face.  She had a small browridge and Elisa's coloring.  Her fangs hadn't come in, but they would probably be normal when they did.  Her hair was a shocking white.  Demona shifted her daughter in her arms and reached out to touch the snow white hair in surprise.  She'd expected black or red.  She tickled the baby's arm gently and checked her hands.  Four talons, like a full gargoyle.  Perfect.

            "Demona?"  Elisa's voice was so weary.  Demona turned to look at the female that gave her this precious gift and she had no words to thank her enough.  She moved closer and held the baby out for Elisa to see.  The detective still couldn't move because of the procedure.  "Are her wings okay?  She's okay?"  Elisa seemed so worried.  Demona carefully unwrapped the hatchling to show Elisa the wings.  They were small cherub type wings with Demona's three wing talons.  When she turned to smile at Elisa she could see Elisa's concern.  "Those are too small aren't they?  My human DNA hurt her, didn't it?"

            "Oh."  Demona pulled Delilah close to her chest and sat on the chair beside Elisa.  "No, hatchlings are hatched with small wings.  They grow later.  She looks normal."  She then leaned over to kiss Elisa gently.  "She's perfect."  She whispered.  It took her a moment to realize what she'd done, but the Doctors were talking about giving Elisa rest and needing to give the baby a check up.  Demona followed the nurse out with her hatchling.  She wasn't going to leave them alone with her.  It was clear to her that they didn't know what they were doing when looking at a gargoyle, but apparently they thought she was fine.  

            "Elisa will be out for a little while.  It will take her a few days to recover from we'll be keeping her and Delilah in the medical ward for a few days."  Demona just nodded, but she wasn't really very happy with that.  When she'd laid Angela she was up and about later that night.  This was going to take days for Elisa to recover from.  

            With Delilah cradled in her arms she took a deep breath and stepped out into the hall.  The nurse had held the hatchling while Demona took off the ridiculous scrubs.  She may not be part of this clan, but Delilah was, so she'd do the hatchling introductions for her.  Elisa wouldn't know the ceremony.

            The gargoyles all stood when she suddenly stepped into the hall.  Demona got the impression that the only reason that Goliath didn't growl was because she was carrying her child.  Brooklyn's eyes were burning as he watched Demona gently cuddle Delilah closer to her.  "This is Delilah."  Demona glared around the room to dare them to deny her right to introduce her daughter.  She then looked down at the small gargoyle nuzzling her skin and couldn't stop the smile.  "There is a new member of the clan.  She will be fast, she will be strong, and she will be a warrior as her mothers before her are, and as her own hatchlings will be."  It was uncommon to have a name, and when she'd seen or done this ritual last there had been no names at all.  She'd been the only gargoyle with a name at that time.  "She is Delilah… She is Maza… She _is_ Destine…"  Demona adlibbed her own addition for this new custom.  She ignored the others surprised stares to catch Angela's eye and smiled.  She was lucky to live in a time where she could know who her daughters were.

            Angela seemed to be leaning closer.  Demona spoke gently.  "Angela, would you like to come see your sister before she has to go back to the medical wing?"

            Angela was by her side quickly looking down into Delilah's face.  "She's so small."  Angela spoke softly while hesitantly reaching out to caress Delilah's ridges.  Demona watched Angela and felt a wave of sadness that she'd never been able to see Angela as a small hatchling.  She also felt bad that Delilah was the first hatchling Angela had ever seen.  Normally there would have been a rookery between Angela's hatching and her own first egg.  She would have been able to practice with that middle generation.  Demona glanced down at Delilah and realized that this was the middle generation for Angela.  She felt a little nervous as she shifted the hatchling in her arms and held her out for her other daughter to hold.

            Angela took Delilah gently and it didn't look like the first time Angela had held a hatchling at all.  She seemed to be a natural.  Demona glanced around the room and noticed the humans for the first time.  An older black woman and a younger black man had just come down the hall with Fox leading them.  They must be the Mazas.  She felt concern for Delilah as she realized that she'd have to share her daughter with humans as well, humans that she hadn't spent years watching, humans that weren't Elisa.  She wanted to take Delilah and rush her back into the relative safety of the medical lab, but a move like that would cause trouble.  She knew if she tried to grab Delilah and run in any direction the clan would assume she was abducting her own daughter.

            "You must be Demona."  The black man said while staring at her suspiciously.

            Demona gritted her teeth, "Yes, and you must be Derek."  She noticed she'd surprised him with that one.  Elisa had been talking to her.  It wasn't like she didn't know the detective. 

            She glanced over at the older woman and could see her tension as she glanced at the doors.  She was worried about Elisa.  Demona managed to soften her voice, and tried to calm the tension in her body.  "She's resting.  Delivery went well and she should recover fully.  That's what the Doctor told me."

            "Why is it the Doctor told you, but we haven't seen him."  Goliath's deep voice held his suspicion.  He obviously wasn't happy that Demona had managed to sneak past him.

            Demona's eyes burned.  "Well she is my mate."  She turned away from him and grimaced when she realized what she'd said.  She reached out to take Delilah from Angela's arms and fled into the medical wing with her.  Fled from the embarrassment of calling a human her mate.  The stunned silence behind her let her know that her words were heard.

            The nurse was cleaning up the O.R. and the doctor was checking on Elisa's chart while the detective rested.  He just nodded to Demona as she set the hatchling in the crib.

            "Mother?"  Angela had of course followed her.  Demona glanced at Angela and then behind her to see that the rest of the clan hadn't insisted on storming the room when she'd fled so quickly.  "Oh, Believe me they tried."  Angela gave a humorless smile.  "Brooklyn and Father were almost ready to chase you.  Theresa and I stopped them."

            Demona glared at the doctor and left that room so that they didn't wake Elisa up.  As she closed the door behind them Demona glanced over at the weakened detective with some worry in her eyes, not realizing that Angela was watching her with compassion in hers.

            "It's almost sunrise."  Angela spoke softly.  "We'll need to go up soon, and the father is concerned about leaving you here."

            "Well I'm not leaving."  Demona snapped at Angela.  Angela just nodded to that like she'd expected it.  

            "Also, if Delilah turns to stone like the rest of us, the Maza's should really see her before sunrise."  Demona tensed up but just nodded.  She remembered being there for Angela when she laid her egg and she'd been upset that she had to leave so soon.  Elisa would be upset if she did that to her family.  Still, she wasn't comfortable watching humans touch her hatchling.

            Demona had stayed out of the way while Diane and Derek Maza looked at her hatchling.  She listened in though and could hear their appreciation of Delilah's beauty.  She'd expected them to be upset with the obvious gargoyle heritage, or worse yet start thinking of ways to make the hatchling look more human.  Diane even smiled over at Demona once.

            She left to endure her painful change alone.  She didn't like being human when she needed to protect Delilah, but there was no choice in that matter.  She would have stayed to watch Delilah's first time turning to stone, but her scream of pain would upset the hatchling.

***********

            "Elisa?"  Elisa heard her mother's voice and slowly opened her eyes.  She felt sore.  She gave a weak smile to her mother.  "I thought you'd like to see her before sunrise."  

            "Elisa moved her arm a little as her mother gently placed Delilah in them.  Elisa stared down at her daughter's browridge and wondered if that was what Demona's looked like under that tiara.  She caressed Delilah's ridges and ran her fingers over the white hair.  She had no idea where that hair color came from, certainly not her side of the family.  She chuckled softly at that thought.  Delilah's tail moved around a little disturbing the bed sheets.  

            "She's so beautiful."  Elisa smiled and then glanced around for Demona.  Her smile started to fade when she didn't see her.

            "She's gone to change.  Didn't want to wake you."  Diane tilted her head and studied Elisa.  "Are you sure she doesn't like you?  She seemed pretty concerned about you."

            Elisa glanced at Delilah again, wishing the sun wasn't going to turn her to stone at that moment, but since it was she should be in her crib.  "Mother, could you put her back in the bed before the sun rises."  She couldn't really answer that question right now.  Demona had kissed her tonight.  And Demona had looked so completely giddy with joy while she held Delilah.  Elisa didn't know how Demona felt about her, if that kiss was just gratefulness or true affection.

            Delilah was put down just moments before she started to turn to stone.  Elisa laid in silence while watching that.  She was going to have it pretty good as a parent.  Her child would always sleep straight through.  She would have to be awake all night every night, but her days sleep would be solid.


	6. Visitations

Visitations 

By Princess Alexandria

has other stories that can't be posted here.

Email:  princess_alex24@hotmail.com 

**Alternate Universe Fiction**

2 weeks after birth

            Elisa stared down into the bassinet at Delilah's frozen form while caressing her daughter's stone face.  "I love you."  Elisa whispered as if trying to not wake the child, but Delilah wouldn't be woken up like other babies.  Elisa felt a pang of regret at that.  She'd like to be with Delilah now, but summer had fewer night hours.

            The knock on the door surprised Elisa.  Normally people only visited at night now, so that Delilah would be awake.  

            "Fox?"  Elisa opened the door a bit more so that the redhead could come in.  Fox glanced at Elisa's messed up hair and wrinkled clothes.  It made Elisa self conscious to be stared at.  

            "You need to get out of this room and see the daylight once in a while."  Fox sounded a little concerned.  "Delilah may be a gargoyle, but you aren't.  You've been locked away all day every day for too long.  You're going out to dinner with me."

            Elisa glanced over at the nursery door.  She couldn't leave Delilah alone. 

            Fox's voice got gentler.  "Elisa, she's a gargoyle.  She's not going to get into any trouble during the day.  If you want I can have Owen check in on her, but she doesn't really need that.  This place is a fortress.  I swear she is safe here."

            Elisa reluctantly agreed to go out for a brief dinner, and Fox waited patiently for Elisa to clean up and change.  If this were a human child this would be abuse to leave her alone like this, but Fox was right.  Elisa needed to accept that the rules were different with Delilah.

            While Elisa glanced at the menu she found herself trying to figure out which meals would be faster for the cooks to prepare so that she could go home.  When she realized that she was doing that she took a deep breath and just chose something that she liked.  This was the first time she'd left the castle since she delivered Delilah.  It was the first time she'd been away from her baby for any length of time.

            Fox smiled at her with gentle understanding.  "It does get easier.  It's just so new to you now."  Their dinner was relatively calm.  Fox kept the conversation running whenever Elisa seemed distracted.

            They got back to the castle an hour and a half after they'd left and Elisa went right for her rooms to make sure Delilah was still okay.  She, of course, hadn't moved.

            Fox leaned on the nursery door and smirked at Elisa.  "You and I have a running date, one dinner every week to get you out.  No excuses."  She then glanced at Elisa's newly flat stomach.  "And you should start working out with me.  You don't want to get out of shape.  The doctors gave you the green light for more activity.  It's time."  Elisa nodded as she thought about the fact that she was still wearing what she'd worn right before finding out she was pregnant.  She hadn't regained all of her figure.

            "Yeah, you're right."  Elisa sighed and sat down in a chair next to Delilah.  Fox moved forward and the smile on her lips when she looked at Elisa's little girl filled Elisa with a bit of pride.  She'd been so worried that Delilah would come out wrong, and wouldn't be a real gargoyle.  She had nightmares when she was pregnant of Delilah being malformed or her wings being useless.  She remembered that moment of fear when she'd seen the tiny wings, and the gentle concern in Demona's eyes when the gargoyle realized that Elisa was upset. 

            Demona had visited every night when Elisa was in the hospital wing, and she didn't just visit Delilah.  She'd sat and talked with Elisa as well.  They'd avoided confrontations with the clan by having the doctors claim that the clan could only visit for the first two hours of the night and then Elisa had to rest, but Demona would come in on the third hour and stay for a few hours just holding Delilah and visiting with Elisa.  Demona was so gentle, so soft and calm looking with her daughter in her arms.  Elisa had found herself just staring at the two gargoyles on several occasions.  It was hard to believe that this was the Demona that she'd fought so many times.

            "Mrs. Xanatos?"  Owen's voice tore both women's eyes to him.  He'd obviously come in to do another check on Delilah.  Elisa tried not to grin at the deep purple bruise over his eye.  It was starting to heal, but Demona had managed to clock him pretty good even though she was in her human form at the time.  That was a moment that she wasn't so soft and gentle.  Elisa wasn't sure what set the gargoyle off so suddenly when Owen stepped into the medical wing to see how Elisa and Delilah were doing, but she had enjoyed watching it too much.  She'd imagined doing that to him ever since she found out about that spell he did on her.  

            "Thank you for checking on her Owen, but we are back now."  Fox dismissed him and Owen left quietly.  Fox rested her hand on Elisa's shoulder and sighed softly.  "I'm sure that you'll have visitors again tonight, so I'll let you mentally prepare for the onslaught."

            "Thanks Fox."  Elisa turned to look into Fox's eyes.  Who would have thought that this woman would become her best friend?  It still hurt that her relationship with Goliath was tense and that the gentle friendship that they had was now rocky, but having Fox there for her helped.

            "You take care of yourself too."  Fox spoke softly.  "You aren't helping Delilah by neglecting yourself like you've been doing."  Elisa smiled a little guiltily and nodded.  

            Delilah woke up at sunset and her tiny little roar was so cute it made Elisa laugh.  "There's my little girl."  She spoke tenderly while picking Delilah up.  She'd have to vacuum the bassinet again.  She did that every night to clean out Delilah's stone skin so the little one didn't hurt herself on it.  It was agreed with the clan that they could visit, but not in the first hour that Delilah woke up.  That was time for just the mother and daughter.  "Are you hungry little one?"  Elisa cuddled Delilah closer and tears filled her eyes.  She'd given up on ever being a mother years ago, and now she had such a wonderful little girl.  She should bring Delilah to see Demona tomorrow night.  Demona hadn't seen her daughter in a week, and Elisa couldn't even imagine going half a day without that contact.  It had to be hard on Demona.

            She could almost set her clock to the clan visits in the past week.  Angela, Lex, Evelyn, Broadway, and Theresa visited pretty often.  Brooklyn had dropped by twice, briefly.  Goliath visited when the rest of the clan left, and his visits were always so tense.  Elisa could see that when he looked at Delilah he only thought about how he felt it should have been his hatchling that Elisa carried.  He carried a cloud of depression around him that was hard to be around.  It only lifted when he tried to tell her she was wrong to reveal his helpless anger, or when he occasionally tried to touch her.  Just small caresses that spoke of his real desire to develop their relationship.  He even talked about being a father to Delilah.  Elisa grimaced at that memory.  She'd tried to sidestep the issue so she didn't hurt his feelings, but she saw him realize what she was doing.  She didn't want him that way, and now that she saw how he completely disregarded her own wishes, she just didn't trust him to listen to her about what she wanted for Delilah if he thought he knew better.  The realization that she couldn't trust him to respect her rights as Delilah's mother hurt.  It had to get better, because this hurt too much.

            The knock on the door was right on time.  Elisa sighed as she put Delilah back down in the bassinet and went to answer it.  It was getting tiring how often the clan visited.  The females had never seen a hatchling before and were so amazed at the tiny size that they came to look often.  They'd started to speculate on what their own hatchlings would look like and talk about names.  Apparently when Demona showed the clan Delilah that first night she'd really impressed Theresa and Evelyn with the naming ceremony.  That's what they called it.  Now those two wanted three names for their hatchlings and bemoaned the fact that figuring out one was difficult enough.  Elisa could sympathize with that.  Little Delilah Maza-Destine was lucky her gargoyle mother had such a flair for names and apparently theatrics.  Elisa wished she could have seen that.

            Evelyn smiled at Elisa broadly while waiting to come in with Lex.  That meant that Angela and Broadway must have the first patrol tonight and would be dropping by in a few hours.  Elisa let them in, but in her mind she was starting to try and figure out how to revise the visiting policy so that she wasn't entertaining every night.  Delilah was new and Elisa understood the fascination, but she wasn't going to do this every night for much longer.  She loved the clan, but she really missed her privacy.

            Elisa had left Delilah in Lex's care as she went to the kitchen to get some snacks.  When she got back she was surprised to find her daughter in Brooklyn's arms.  It was cute, until she listened to what he was quietly saying to her daughter while Lex was tinkering with the dresser to fix one of the drawers that wasn't put together properly. 

            "You're lucky Elisa's raising you."  Brooklyn spoke quietly.  "Demona's a monster.  Scary monster."

            Elisa stepped into the room while glaring at him.  "Give her to me."  Her voice was quiet and very cold and commanding.  He looked surprised at her comment, but handed Delilah over.  When Evelyn came out of the bathroom she handed Delilah to her and motioned for Evelyn to take Delilah to her nursery.  Once the baby was out of the room she marched up to Brooklyn and he actually took a step back.

            "Don't ever badmouth Demona around Delilah again.  Keep your opinions to yourself."  Elisa growled under her breath as she thought of all the times that Angela had cried because of cruel things that Brooklyn had said about her mother.  "I won't have you hurting her like that."

            "I'm just warning her.  It's not like she even understands."  Brooklyn spoke quickly while glancing over Elisa's shoulder to see Lex staring at him from the doorway.

            "Well, I don't care if she does understand yet, I don't want you saying things like that to her."  Elisa crossed her arms in front of her, surprised at the urge to hit him for that small comment.  "I'm her mother, and any negative talk about Demona doesn't happen in her presence.  Demona is her mother too, and I'm not going to have this clan destroy that for her.  I'm not going to watch you break my little girl's heart."

            "You're still planning to let Demona see her aren't you?"  Brooklyn sounded shocked, but Elisa had never made those plans a secret.  

            Elisa gritted her teeth and glared at his obvious disapproval.  She was so tired of defending her right to make her own decisions.  "I know you don't like Demona, and you can bitch about her all you want… away from my daughter.  If you can't say nice things, then I don't want you bringing up Demona at all around Delilah… ever."

            Brooklyn closed his open jaw and just nodded his agreement.  Elisa turned to pass Lex on the way to her daughter.  Evelyn handed her over and Elisa ignored the constant audience and she whispered to Delilah.  "She's no monster baby.  She loves you very much."  Her voice caught and she felt tears in her eyes and just held Delilah closer.  She didn't see Lex glare at Brooklyn as Brooklyn slinked out looking ashamed.  

            Lex walked around her and looked into Elisa's face with sympathy.  "Do you know how many times his comments about Demona made Angela cry?"  Elisa stared into her friend's eyes.  "Do you know how badly they hurt her?  I can't let anyone hurt Delilah like that."

            "I'll tell him to ease up."  Lex moved closer to rest a hand on Elisa's arm while she gently rocked Delilah in her arms.

            "Thanks."  Elisa gave him a watery smile and sniffled.  

            One good thing about that confrontation is that the remaining gargoyles cleared out, leaving Elisa alone with Delilah again.  Elisa laid next to Delilah on the bed and just stared at her as she moved and squirmed just a little.  She caressed the tail the moved like a tired snake, without direction or purpose.  She watched the tiny talons curled into fists.

            Delilah was taking a nap, because the stone sleep alone wasn't enough for a hatchling.  It was close to dawn, and Elisa had strapped her baby into a car seat so that when the stone sleep took her she'd be portable.  Delilah was placed on the couch so that Elisa could listen to her stereo and still be near her.  She planned to go have dinner with Demona the next day and would be leaving the castle before sunset to do it.  Elisa quietly listened to music in the living room, while reading the newspaper.  The knock on the door made her get up quickly and try to keep the person from knocking again.  Delilah needed her rest.

            Goliath smiled at her gently.  "Can I come in?"

            Elisa just nodded and opened the door more.  "Keep it down.  She's sleeping."

            He sat down on the couch gentle and stared at Delilah's slumbering form.  "It's nice to have a hatchling in the castle again."  Goliath glanced up at Elisa.  "She really is quite beautiful."

            "I know."  Elisa wasn't at all modest about her little girl.  She may not have seen other hatchlings, but Delilah was beautiful.

            "What is she doing in this contraption?"  Goliath asked curiously while staring at the car seat.  Elisa sighed, as her hopes of skipping this conversation vanished.

            "We're going to visit Demona tomorrow and I need her to turn to stone in that so that we'll be able to go.  We're expected before sunset.  Demona wants to see Delilah wake up."  She could hear a hint of a challenge in her voice and watched his eyes widen.  He'd refused to allow Demona in the castle.  He didn't want her near Angela and Elisa was betting that he thought that would keep Elisa from having her near Delilah.  He thought that Elisa wouldn't take her daughter across town in a car.

            "You are actually going to take her there?  Demona might not let you leave with her."

            "She won't do that and she has a right to see Delilah."  Elisa glanced at Delilah and managed to keep her voice down.

            Goliath was quiet for a while.  His voice softer when he finally spoke.  "If you are determined to do that it would be better if she came here, where the clan could keep her from hurting Delilah or you."

            "You're thinking guards aren't you?"  Elisa could envision several of the clan sitting in her room glaring at Demona throughout the entire visit.  Demona would never relax and just enjoy Delilah like that.  Elisa couldn't relax either.  "No.  Thanks for the offer but I think Delilah and I will visit her instead.  It'll be a nice drive."

            "Don't go.  Just wait until I wake up again and we can talk about this more."  Elisa grimaced at him.  They'd been talking about this for weeks.  She'd made her decision and he kept trying to change it.

            "No.  Go get some rest.  I'll see you Sunday night."

            "You'll stay all night at her mansion?"  He looked pretty upset.  "Where is it so that we can check up on you?"

            "Really you need to get going before you turn to stone here."  Elisa ignored that question.  They didn't have much time.  She could tell by the changing colors of the sky.

            "No.  Elisa, just stay until I wake up again and we can come to an agreement."  Elisa sighed as she heard the sound of stone encasing his body.  It wasn't likely they'd ever come to an agreement.    

            "I guess you'll be staying the day."  Elisa sighed heavily and picked up Delilah's car seat without looking at his pleading face.  He seemed to suck all the energy out of the air lately.  All they ever did was disagree anymore.  All conversations turned to what he thought she shouldn't do with Delilah.

The Next Day 

            Elisa pulled up to Demona's driveway shortly before dinnertime.  The gargoyle must have been watching for her because the gate opened before she even had a chance to buzz.

            Demona came out dressed in black slacks and a short sleeve green cotton button up shirt.  Demona gave Elisa a warm smile as she moved to help the detective grab the bag of diapers and other various things that Elisa was pretty sure Demona didn't have.  "We can take her up to the nursery."  Demona spoke softly while staring at the tiny stone female that Elisa pulled out of the car still in the car seat.  Elisa noticed that Demona moved to open all the doors for her while she carried Delilah into the mansion for her first visit to her other mommy's home.

            "I'm surprised you wanted me to come so early."  Elisa spoke to fill the silence a little, but also she was puzzled as to why Demona would have her coming over three hours before sunset if she wanted to visit with Delilah.

            "There are some things I wanted to talk about with you."  Demona followed Elisa away from the nursery and Elisa felt a little strange leaving Delilah alone in a new room, even if it was her own.  "You can drink wine again now.  Would you like some?"

            Elisa thought of the stone statue that she'd left in her room, and how Goliath was going to try to lecture her tomorrow night for not doing as he asked.  "Yeah, maybe just one glass."  She might as well enjoy this visit, she'd pay for it later.  

As she followed Demona down the stairs she couldn't help but think that she'd missed visiting with the gargoyle.  When she thought of how Demona had been with her during the delivery and how she'd continued to be concerned about Elisa's health even after she wasn't carrying Delilah anymore she decided that she didn't need to hide it anymore.  "I'm glad you asked me over early."  Elisa felt her heart beat a little faster as she worried about how this would be taken.  "Seems like the only time most people want to spend time with me anymore is when Delilah is awake, and then I can't get rid of them."  When Demona turned right before they got to the kitchen to look into Elisa's eyes with a little concern that wasn't hidden Elisa smiled weakly.  "I know it'll wear off eventually."  She was surprised how much that apparently was bothering her.  

Demona looked awkward and fidgeted for a moment.  "Well, I'm sure if the clan could visit other times that they would."

"No, they visit far too much as is."  Elisa sighed and continued into the kitchen.  "I can't… I'm so tired of the visits.  I haven't had one night alone with my daughter since she was born."  Demona motioned for Elisa to sit at the kitchen island so she did.  She watched as the gargoyle in human form reached up into her cabinets to get some wine glasses, and noticed how the shirt rode up to reveal some pale flesh of Demona's lower back.  Elisa sighed and looked into Demona's green eyes when she turned around.  "I want to tell them I'm limiting the visits, but I don't want to hurt their feelings either."

"This is the first hatchling that they've seen, but it's also the first one that has a definite parent in charge."  Demona set the glasses down.  "It may seem odd for them, but they will adjust.  They need to learn their place soon.  We are Delilah's parents, and if you let this go too long the old rookery ideas may start to come out.  I know neither of us wants to be raising Delilah by committee.  I deal with enough committees at work.  I will not have people voting on how we raise Delilah."  Demona's voice got a little pained.  "Or have Goliath cast the leaders vote that dictates in spite of what the rest of the clan wants… like he used to.  He used that leaders vote far too often with the hatchlings." 

Elisa could clearly see that Demona was thinking of something painful from her past.  Elisa's voice got softer.  "What did he do?"  She'd known that Demona had blamed him for the fall of the castle, and that the clan blamed Demona for it, but this was something new.  An old pain that still haunted Demona.

Demona went quiet as she poured the wine and set it aside.  Elisa felt the urge to reach out and touch Demona's hand when she noticed the heavy sigh she took before talking.  "With Angela's rookery, some of the females had decided that they liked the way humans knew who their children were.  A few of my sisters had taken to marking their eggs with chalk, just small marks so that no one would notice.  They wanted to know which one was theirs."  Demona stared down at her drink and Elisa didn't like where this story was going.  "I marked Angela's egg.  I wanted to know too.  I know it was a human custom, but I wanted to know."  Demona's fist clenched as her voice got harsher with anger.  "When some of the males heard what we'd done a meeting was called.  We argued that it wouldn't hurt to change just this one custom.  We voted as a clan, and over two thirds of the rookery parents agreed that knowing who our hatchlings were was what we wanted."  Elisa watched Demona's clenched fist shake before the redhead rested her hand on the counter and took a deep breath.  Demona looked right into Elisa's horrified eyes and said what Elisa knew the rest of the story was already.  She knew how Goliath would have responded to that vote.  Demona's pain told her how he responded to that vote.  "He cast the leader's vote.  The entire clan could vote yes on something, but if he cast a leader's vote rather than a rookery parent vote, he could overrule them all.  He gave a long winded speech about the old ways, and how he didn't want the clan parents protecting just their own hatchlings.  He claimed that the old ways ensured that the entire clan worked together for the best interest of all the hatchlings.  He claimed that he would feel proud of them all and he didn't need to know which had come from his mate.  He completely ignored what I wanted, what all the females wanted, and since I was the second… he forced me to be the first to erase my mark in public as a show of support."

Elisa's hand didn't hesitate this time as she reached out to grasp Demona's.  She couldn't imagine how much that had to hurt.  When she noticed the tears in Demona's eyes she didn't even think twice of getting up and moving around the island to pull the redhead into a hug.  Demona's tear-filled whisper made Elisa pull Demona tighter.  "I don't want him taking this daughter away from me too.  I know he's trying to.  Please… Don't."

"I won't."  Elisa swore to Demona, and she fully meant it.  She'd ask Goliath about that story, but she was pretty sure it was the truth, and it made her sick.  She didn't care if Demona was only revealing this pain to sway her, because the pain was real enough.

Demona pulled herself back together and left Elisa in the kitchen alone while she cleaned up.  Elisa could tell Demona was embarrassed by the display, so she didn't act like anything unusual had happened.  As she stared after Demona when she left she started to wonder about all the stories that the clan had told her of the past.  How much had they just left out?

            "Getting her here today was easier than I thought it would be."  Elisa took a sip of the juice.  She wasn't going to have more than the one glass of wine, even though Demona was working on her second.  "The car seat wasn't too hard to figure out."

            "Well Good."  Demona smiled one of the soft genuine smiles that Elisa hadn't seen from the gargoyle before she had told Demona she was going to be a parent, but saw often afterwards.  "So I assume you skipped driving down the stairs in Central Park?"

            Elisa smirked.  "You heard about that one?"

            Demona chuckled.  "Oh, I usually made sure to keep and ear out for what you were doing."  When Demona got up to get something non-alcoholic for her own glass Elisa looked around the kitchen and her eyes fell on the flower display on the dining room table.  It looked a lot like the one that she'd gotten anonymously after her father died.  She looked between Demona and the flowers for a moment and she was surprised where her thoughts were going.  How much did Demona keep tabs on what was happening in Elisa's life?  How long had she been doing that? 

            When Demona went upstairs for a brief phone call Elisa got up and went to the flower arrangement and quickly hunted for some clue as to where it came from.  If she was right things with Demona were even more complicated than she thought.  She found the name of a familiar florist.  The owner was always so friendly with her because she and the clan had saved his store from some thugs a few years ago.  She called him up and he was just getting ready to close shop.

            "I need you to check on something for me would you?"  Elisa spoke calmly, but her heart was beating a little more quickly.  "Can you check and see what purchases a customer made as far back as a little over a year ago?"  She smiled to hear that he had that information.  "Last February did Dominique Destine order flowers and have them delivered to an apartment?  Would have been the end of the month."  When Elisa got the flowers she'd assumed they came from an old friend of her father's, but she'd never seen an arrangement like that anywhere, even Richard's Florist didn't have them in stock, it was specially made.  

            "Yes.  It looks like she did."  Richard sounded a little puzzled.     

            Elisa thanked him automatically and put her phone away.  Demona had sent her flowers before the cave.  Elisa felt a little stunned.

            "We have a little longer before sunset."  Demona's voice startled Elisa and she turned away from the flowers and went back into the kitchen.  Demona raised an eyebrow at Elisa's going to smell the flowers.  Elisa just smiled and pushed her thoughts away.  She'd think about it later.  "So I wanted to talk to you more about teaching Delilah magic."  Demona sat down at the kitchen island and Elisa moved to her own seat again.  "I was thinking that if we both spoke Latin as well as English around her while she's learning to talk it would be easier for her to pick up."

            "That would make sense if I actually knew Latin."

            Demona's grin was a bit predatory and made Elisa a little nervous.  "I'm going to teach you.  You'll study at home and we will start working together weekly until you can speak it if not fluently, at least passably."

            Elisa blinked for a moment at the thought of becoming Demona's student.  "Latin?"

            "Well, aside from making it easier for Delilah to learn if she hears both of her mommies speaking it, when she is learning you might want to understand what she's saying."

            Well, it couldn't hurt to learn a new language, even if almost no one spoke it anymore.  "Sure.  We can do that." 

            Demona got up and stepped right outside the room to pick up a stack of books and tapes.  "I knew you'd agree."  Demona smiled as she set the books down and Elisa started to feel like she was in college again when she looked at the shear volume of homework Demona was giving her.  "I promise not to zap you with magic bolts if you have trouble learning."  Elisa looked up from the stack thinking that Demona was teasing her, but the expression on Demona's face was serious.  

            "Is that how you learned?  Your teacher hurt you if you didn't pick it up fast enough?"

            Demona grimaced.  "He was the only magic user around.  No one took gargoyle apprentices back then and he constantly reminded me that I was so lucky he stooped to teaching a beast how to read.  I was the first gargoyle in the clan to learn."  Elisa sighed.  The more she learned about that castle and the humans that lived there the more she regretted that any of her friends grew up there.  

She looked into Demona's face as the gargoyle looked at the spines of the piled books.  "Well, you really have your work cut out for you if you think I can learn a language."  Elisa picked up the first book.  "I'll do my best."  She wasn't really surprised that Demona would have been the first to learn to read.  Demona was very intelligent.  It's just a shame she had such a crappy teacher.  If she'd had just one human that treated her like a person back then, could that whole Viking mess have been avoided?  The thought of raising their Delilah in a castle like that made Elisa sick.  She could never hear someone call her daughter a beast and not do something about it.  Maybe just one decent human wouldn't have been enough.

            "I'm going to go change before sunset.  It really isn't comfortable to do that while wearing pants."

            Elisa looked up.  "Is that why you wear dress suits?"  At Demona's grin Elisa knew she'd figured out that mystery.  Demona didn't seem like the type of woman in human form that would wear skirts so much.  It would be harder to kick someone in the ass.

            Elisa followed Demona up the stairs, but she went to the nursery rather than the bedroom.  A few minutes later Demona came in dressed for the night to find Elisa caressing Delilah's brow ridge.  Elisa spoke quietly.  "Is this what your brow ridge looks like?"

            "Mostly."  Demona looked a little surprised by the question.  Elisa was surprised she'd asked it.  She had been wondering; since that was actually the only part of Demona's body she hadn't seen.  Elisa didn't notice her eyes getting hooded as she stared at the redheaded female.  She remembered that night, touching her, making her scream with pleasure.  When Elisa turned to stare back down at the result of that night she didn't noticed Demona tilting her head to the side and staring at her.

            "You'll need to get a vacuum for up here.  I usually vacuum her stone skin up after she wakes up."

            "Already have that taken care of."  Demona smiled.  "We used to have several brooms in the rookery to take care of that."  Demona's voice got a little more serious.  "Are you healing okay?"

            Elisa's eyebrow rose at the obvious concern for the detective's well being.  "I'm doing fine."

            "Well, good."  Demona moved to the dresser and started to move the stuffed animals around as if arranging them perfectly.  

            Elisa glanced out the window and figured they still had a few minutes before sunset.  "Demona, I was thinking that once a week isn't really enough time."  Demona stopped playing with the toys and turned to look at Elisa with a surprised expression on her face.  "At least twice would be better.  Do you have enough time for that?"  After spending so much time with Demona, she realized that her offer of one night a week seemed far too small.  She couldn't imagine only seeing Delilah once a week, and Demona deserved more than that. 

            "I can make as much time as you think you can give me."  Demona's smile grew.  The smile started to fade and Elisa didn't understand it until Demona spoke.  "Of course you will have a hard time selling that to Goliath."

            "He doesn't make my decisions."  Elisa's voice held a note of anger.  "I don't care how much he yells and pleads, this is OUR daughter, and I'm not giving up control for anyone."

            "I know what you tried to do for me."  Demona stared into Elisa's eyes.  "I heard you in Paris.  I never did thank you for that either."  Demona smirked.  "I was too busy trying to rob MacBeth blind."  Elisa tried to think about what she did in Paris.  She'd shot Demona, but even though that saved the gargoyle's life, she didn't think she'd be getting thanks for that.  Demona moved forward and rested her hand on the hand Elisa had gently holding the bars of the crib.  "With Angela.  I heard you telling him that she should meet me.  Before we even… You tried to give me back my daughter."  Demona looked into the crib.  "And now you've given me a daughter."

            Elisa was trying to think of how to reply to that.  It was more gentle gratitude than she'd ever heard from Demona, and almost expected the gargoyle to do something to mess it up.  Instead Demona stepped away quickly and gritted her teeth as sunset hit.

            Later that night Elisa leaned against the doorway and just watched for several minutes.  Demona acted like she was completely oblivious to the audience as she laid on the floor next to the blankets that held their daughter.  Demona's head rested on her hand as she laid on her side and caresses Delilah's legs with the back of a talon.

            "She looks like a full gargoyle, just with a bellybutton."  Demona spoke quietly to her.

            "I know.  I don't see that she inherited much from me."

            "No, I see it."  Demona smiled down at the hatchling.  "She has your eyes.  Your nose.  Your skin tone.  She'll probably be just as stubborn as you are too."

            Elisa grinned and crossed her arms.  "Look whose talking.  Anyone would be lucky to get her to do anything they ask.  With both of us… she'll be hard to control."

            "Yeah, she'll be a fighter alright."  Demona tickled Delilah's stomach.  "And she'll be very smart.  My side of the family of course."  Demona grinned up at Elisa and Elisa couldn't help but chuckle at that friendly jab.  Elisa moved off the wall and moved to sit beside the two females on the floor.

            "Yeah.  You are pretty smart."  Elisa smiled at Demona, noticing the surprise on the gargoyle's face.  Elisa then turned her attention mostly to Delilah and looked at Demona out of the corner of her eye to see the gargoyle was still staring at her.  

            "You aren't too bad either."  Demona finally responded quietly.  

            "For a human?" Elisa glanced up with a playful teasing expression on her face.  

            "For anyone."  Demona answered seriously.

            Elisa felt a little uncomfortable with the way Demona was looking at her.  "Thank you."  Elisa replied quietly.  She didn't know how to read the expression on Demona's face, so she turned her attention back down to Delilah.  "The white hair was a surprise."

            "It might be Puck's one influence."  Demona reached out to caress the hair in question.  It was still very short, but it was so white that it stood out dramatically from Delilah's skin.  It seemed to go well with her white wings, which really reminded Elisa of an angel.  "Or a side effect of the magic.  Either way I like it."  

            "Yeah, it does look good."  Elisa sighed as she found the experience of staring at their daughter together was more intense than it really should be.  It wasn't like Delilah ever did anything really.  A baby this young didn't move too much.  All three of them sat in the charged sort of silence for a while.  Elisa didn't want to break the comfortable spell.

            "I bet the clan never thought we'd be able to spend an entire night together without someone ending up dead."  Demona finally spoke.

            "No, but then after I got pregnant they really should have taken the hint that it could be done."  Elisa grinned teasingly and looked up in time to see that Demona actually blushed for a second.  Hanging around Fox was definitely making Elisa a bit more out there with her comments.  Elisa spoke gently.  "This is nice.  I'm glad I didn't take Goliath's offer."

            "The one where they have armed guards around you and Delilah while I look at you through a telescope from the building across the way?"

            Elisa chuckled.  "Yeah, pretty much."

            "He always did go overboard."  
            

"Elisa?"  The familiar voice was unusually soft while saying her name.  Elisa cracked open her eyes to see that she'd managed to fall asleep on the couch while Demona played with Delilah.  "It's almost sunrise.  I thought you might like to say goodnight to her."

"Thanks."  Elisa said groggily while moving to sit up.  "How long?"

"Just a half hour."  Demona looked at her in concern.  "You look exhausted."

Elisa stood up and took Delilah into her own arms to snuggle while she headed upstairs with Demona in tow to put Delilah in the car seat.  "I'm still getting used to the new hours I have to keep.  For a while there I wasn't on the night shift."

"Yes, you did used to sleep at least some at night."  Demona agreed quietly and Elisa resisted the urge to stop walking and ask about how Demona knew that.  It was far too close to dawn to not get Delilah put away safely.

            After Delilah was stone and Demona was human Elisa started to pack up Delilah's diaper bag.  When she yawned Demona seemed to study her.  "You are too tired to drive.  You might get into an accident."  Elisa almost listed all the times she'd been more tired than this and did fine, but Demona's glance towards Delilah let her know that the gargoyle was worried about her daughter being in the car with an exhausted human at the wheel.  "Take a nap here."

            "You have a guest room?"  Elisa hadn't seen one in her tour.

            "No, but you could sleep in my bed."  Demona grimaced a little at having said that.  "I don't need as much sleep as a human.  I'll be up for a few more hours."

            Elisa really felt that she should head home, but she was tired.  It wasn't responsible to drive like that.  If she got in an accident with Delilah in the car she would never forgive herself.  She looked into the determined expression on Demona's face and knew that she wouldn't get out of here without a fight if she disagreed.  "Okay.  Thanks."

            Demona's bedroom was very tastefully decorated in earth tones.  Elisa pulled her shoes off and crawled onto the strange bed.  The cool sheets felt good on her face, and she could smell Demona's scent on the pillowcase.  She had no idea if she'd be able to fall asleep in Demona's bed, but she'd make an effort.

            "No, I didn't kill her!"  Demona's angry words pulled Elisa from her sleep.  The amount of daylight in the bedroom let her know she'd been out for a while.  The clock beside the bed said ten am.  She listened harder to the phone conversation happening in the office across the hall.  She'd left the bedroom door open.  She always did that.  Delilah may not be the type of baby that cried while Elisa slept, but she liked to hear if anything went wrong in the house at all, anything that might affect her daughter.  She'd also become a lighter sleeper since having Delilah and that was probably the only reason that she'd woken to the anger in Demona's voice.  "She was exhausted.  I couldn't have her driving my daughter around like that!"  Elisa stretched on the bed.  She could get up and get Demona out of the conversation.  It had to be Fox that called.  Instead she just cuddled the pillow to her face and listened for a moment.  "I could wake her up to reassure you, but she wouldn't go back to sleep after that and you know it.  Humans need more sleep than this."  Elisa pushed the blanket off of her.  

            Demona looked tired and irritated while she listened to a redhead that was getting increasingly loud.  Fox's voice was unmistakable.  That woman really was a good friend, but this wasn't a kidnapping like Fox was yelling.  "Here, gimme the phone."  Elisa's voice was still filled with sleep.  Demona seemed upset that Elisa was out of bed but she handed it over in time for Elisa to hear Fox angrily telling her that she'd send that steel clan over to rip her home apart if she didn't get Elisa on the phone right now.  "Fox I'm fine.  Just fell asleep."  Elisa grinned a little.  "So you don't need to threaten her with vandalism.  That still is against the law you know."

            "Elisa."  Fox sounded so relieved.  "You're okay then?"

            "Yeah, I'm fine.  Still dead tired but fine."

            "When you hadn't returned before I woke up…"

            Elisa interrupted, feeling bad for worrying Fox like that.  "I only planned to nap an hour."  She glanced at the female in the room that had to have turned off the alarm clock.  "I guess I overslept."  Demona didn't look at all guilty about tricking her like that.  Elisa would have called Fox so that the woman didn't worry if she'd known she was going to spend most of the morning at Demona's.

            After she'd convinced Fox she was fine Elisa hung up.  "I'm going back to bed."  Elisa spoke that one sentence and left with a smirk on her lips.  She was tired and Demona obviously didn't think she'd do that.  Elisa didn't want to be too predictable.

            They had a late lunch and then Demona helped Elisa pack up her belongings and put them in the car.  While Elisa made sure the car seat was secure Demona slipped into the mansion and came out with the pile of Latin books and a wicked grin.  Elisa just sighed as Demona put them on the passenger seat.  "When you come back Tuesday we can start work on this."

            When Elisa got home she spent some time trying to fit the books in her bag so that she didn't need to take an extra trip for them.  She'd have to start studying today if she didn't want to embarrass herself on Tuesday.  When she thought about her lousy grades in French, she grimaced.  She didn't pick up languages very well.  Still she wasn't one to back down from a challenge, and she wasn't going to look stupid in front of Demona.  She was going to speak it better than passably.  

            When the elevator opened up she started down the hall to her rooms.  Fox sent Alexander ahead with Owen and moved to take the bag from Elisa's shoulder.  "What is in this?"  Fox did a few curls with the bag, proving that it was heavy.

            "Homework."  Elisa waited for Fox to open Elisa's door and went in with Delilah.  "Demona wants to teach Delilah Latin and thinks I should learn it too."

            "You're letting her give you homework?"  Fox set the bag down and opened it up, pulling the heavy books and the tapes out for Elisa.  "Lots of homework."

            Elisa hadn't mentioned this yet.  "Demona wants to offer to teach Delilah magic when she's older.  Since that is all done in Latin she's going to teach her the language first, and when Delilah's old enough to decide…"

            "You're going to let Demona teach your daughter magic?"  Fox stared at Elisa as if she were trying to read her mind.

            "We agreed it would only be if Delilah wanted it.  She won't push it and I won't fight it."

            "Well make sure she's definitely old enough."  Fox sighed and put a book down.  "Having a magically gifted child is tiring.  I'd tell you not to join the club, but this type of magic is different."

            Fox never argued with Elisa's decisions.  She put her opinions out there, she never missed the opportunity to do that, but she didn't argue.  "Thanks."  Elisa smiled and pulled a surprised Fox into a hug.  "Thanks for checking up on me too."

            "Sure, no problem."  Fox pulled back and smirked at Elisa.  "You were just sleeping right?  You won't be getting pregnant again so soon?"

            "Yes I was just sleeping."  Elisa rolled her eyes at yet more teasing.  "And Owen said it was a one time spell.  I have my baby.  No more are going to be coming."

            "What a shame.  I wanted to see if I could get you to carry my next one for me."  Fox gave her a flirtatious smile.  When Fox glanced at the clock she sighed.  "I need to get going.  I'm taking Alexander to a movie.  I swear Disney just puts cartoons out to torture parents with begging children."

            "Okay, have fun."  Elisa smiled at the redhead's dashing out the door.

            She was breast feeding Delilah when the knock on the door came.  Elisa sighed heavily and glanced at the clock.  It had only been fifteen minutes since Delilah woke up.  Goliath knew the rule.  While she had been a bit self conscious doing this around Demona, she was absolutely not going to do this around him, even though she was able to cover herself up pretty well while doing it.  She kept her voice calm and soothing, even though she wanted to snap at him.  "We are a little busy.  How about you send someone to watch over her in an hour and I'll meet you somewhere else."

            "You left without talking to me."  His voice held a bit of a growl.

            Elisa grimace, but her voice didn't change as she held Delilah in her arms just inside the closed door.  She talked loud enough for it to carry to his superior gargoyle hearing, and only that loud.  "I'm feeding my daughter right now.  This has to wait."

            "But…"

            "Goliath."  Elisa's voice was more firm.  "She needs to eat, and if your growling makes her cry it will take longer.  Send me a babysitter in forty five minutes and we can talk."

            "Alright."  He sure didn't sound pleased.  She didn't need all that time, but she had just gotten the clan used to the one hour rule and breaking it would open it up to questions.  She was entitled to time with just her and Delilah, especially since she waits all day for her daughter to wake up.

            When Lex showed up right on time Elisa let him in and gave him last minute instructions.  She was already mad at Goliath's attitude, and hearing what he'd done to Demona last night didn't make her feel any more agreeable tonight.  She marched to where they were meeting with a dangerous look in her eyes.  He was NOT going to dictate how she raised her daughter, and she was going to make that very clear if he didn't back down.  Her feelings must have been pretty clear, because Broadway moved pretty quickly to get out of her way when she met him in the halls.

            She lost some of her anger when she saw him.  He looked like he'd spent most of last night worrying.  Dammit, why couldn't he just accept that she was doing what she thought was right?  Why couldn't he just accept that in this situation she was in charge?  

            "You could have been killed."  He started with a lecturing tone and Elisa's jaw clenched as she crossed her arms in front of her.  "We needed to talk about this."

            "Goliath."  Elisa's eyes burned into him.  "We have talked about this to death!  I have made my decision, and with MY daughter… there is no voting and there is no you dictating what you want."  She was watching his face carefully when she said that and her trained detective eye caught the quick flash of guilt.  She decided not to let that one go.  "We had an interesting conversation last night.  Demona told me something… I just have to know."  His eyes widened just a fraction too much.  "Did you actually force her and all the females of your clan to give up the chance to know who their own hatchlings were?  Did you actually force her to remove the mark that would have let her know that Angela was her daughter off of her egg in front of the entire clan?"

            "I had a good reason for doing that."  His voice was firm, and Elisa wondered if he was trying to convince himself of it.

            "All she wanted was to know her own child, and you denied her that long before the castle fell."  Elisa's eyes were cold.  "You won't be doing that here.  You denied her one daughter, but this one is mine, and I don't go by your clan dictatorship."

            "Father?"  Angela's shock voice startled them and Elisa turned to see a stunned looking female staring at Goliath.  They hadn't closed the door when they got into the office.  "This is why mother told me to compare my egg to the others?  This is why she told me to know which one was mine by sight alone?  You did that to her?"  Angela's eyes started to burn.  

            "Angela."  Goliath's voice took on a pleading tone.  "You have to understand.  It was a very different world then.  I couldn't afford to have the rookery parents worrying only about their own hatchlings."

            "I know which egg is mine, but I would fight to protect Theresa's or Evelyn's just as fiercely."  Angela growled.  "You can't tell me that the gargoyles of your time had so little honor that they wouldn't have done that for their sisters and brothers."

            "Angela, I was talking to Elisa.  We can talk about this later."

            "Yes, you were going to tell her once again that Mother is dangerous and shouldn't be around her or her hatchling."  Angela's voice held scorn that sounded a lot like her mother.  "Well, father you are wrong.  I have seen Mother with Elisa, and I have seen Mother stay around to protect her at night.  Mother would stay on the roof of Elisa's apartment and make sure she didn't get hurt.  She did this almost EVERY night.  I went to visit Elisa after hours, and I saw mother making sure that Elisa did what the doctor told her to so that she'd heal after Delilah was born.  NO, father… You are wrong!"  Elisa watched in some surprise as Angela told Goliath off and spun around to march out of the room.

            Elisa stared at him until he turned away from watching Angela march away to look at Elisa.  Angela had said it all, leaving little for Elisa to add.  She hadn't realized that Demona had watched after her so much that even Angela had seen her every night.  "Your little girl is hurting."  She spoke softly.  "Not a nice feeling is it?  This is what I am trying to avoid for my baby.  Angela hasn't had her mother and she's cried in my arms because of it.  I tried to tell you.  I tried, but you never listened."  Elisa sighed, hating the lost look on his face.  He really didn't know how to deal with this.  "Well, I know which hatchling is mine, and now… now you get to see how that changes things.  I'm in charge of my child.  I make the decisions, and I've made mine.  My little girl may end up disappointed with Demona if Demona doesn't change, but I'm not going to keep her away just to avoid a potential pain, because keeping her away WILL hurt her, like it hurt Angela."  Elisa rested a hand on his arm.  "I'm not going to change my mind on this, no matter what you say.  Demona is a mother to my child and this is just between the two of us."  Elisa looked out to see Angela hunched over standing on the castle wall.  "Now, for my advice, which as always you were free to take or leave… Go to her now and explain what you did.  And apologize, even if you still think it was right.  Apologize because your decision hurt her."

            "I don't agree with what you are doing."  His voice didn't hold the command now.

            "I know.  Your complaint has been duly noted."  Elisa sighed.  "But I cast my Leader's Vote, and that is law."  She watched him nod and move to follow his own daughter outside. 


	7. Opening Eyes

Something To Tell You:  

Opening Eyes 

Sequel to:  Visitations.  

**Alternate Universe Fiction**

One Month and two weeks after birth

            Demona had just a half hour until sunset.  Normally they'd be working on Elisa's Latin at this hour, but Elisa said she'd be coming a little later tonight.  She went to change her clothes before the sunset and then just sat down in front of her mirror, pulling her hair out of the bun she wore at work.

            When sunset came and Elisa still wasn't there, Demona started to worry.  She'd be driving Delilah over while the hatchling was flesh.  Maybe she should call and tell Elisa not to come tonight.  Demona wanted to see her daughter, but not if she was going to have to go through the city as flesh.  What if someone in a truck was able to see into Elisa's car and noticed Delilah's eyes glowing?  Elisa may be able to disguise Delilah quite a bit, but there was no covering up the eyes that glowed whenever the little hatchling cried.

            She called the cell phone number Elisa had given her, while hating that she was going to miss out on a visit.  She looks forward to these visits so much.  When the detective answered, Demona spoke.  "It's too dangerous to drive her through the city.  If you aren't almost here, you should turn around."

            Elisa sounded a little amused.  "I'm almost on your block.  I brought a different car today, mine is in the shop."

            Demona's tense shoulders started to relax.  "Oh, well good.  I'll buzz you in."

            The limo that drove up to her gate puzzled Demona, but once the driver's window lowered to show Elisa she buzzed her in.  Her heart started to beat faster, worried that someone had somehow captured Elisa to get to Demona's home.  Demona moved to where she'd locked up her guns and pulled one out.  If someone were using Delilah to force Elisa's hand, they weren't going to live much longer.  The dark windows of the limo made it impossible to see if anyone were inside.  A limo of that size would be able to fit perhaps seven or eight humans.  Her gun had far more bullets than that.  She grabbed another gun for Elisa.  The thought that Elisa would have betrayed her never even crossed her mind.  Other humans might have done that, but not Elisa. 

            Hiding the guns in her normal night clothes wouldn't be easy, but the element of surprise was important here.  She slipped one gun through her belt and held the other ready in her hand while caping her wings and letting her armed hand be covered.

            The limo pulled up to the door and Demona took a deep breath and moved to the door.  If this was an attack they weren't getting into the house.  She walked out as if nothing were wrong.  The high fences, trees, and long driveway insured that her neighbors never saw her house.  She could walk in her yard at night with little concern.  

            Her eyes took in everything in just seconds.  Elisa seemed a little too tense as she got out of the car and walked around it to the other side.  Very little really shook the detective.  Before Elisa could open the back door to let the attackers out Demona moved to intercept her.  "Elisa."  Demona whispered while she pulled the startled detective into a hug.  "How many are there?"  Demona used her body to disguise the fact that she was slipping Elisa a gun.  Elisa seemed shocked when the hilt of the gun was placed in her hand, making Demona think that perhaps she'd read this wrong.  If there were danger, Elisa wouldn't have let any surprise show on her face during this exchange.

            "Nothing's wrong."  Elisa pulled out of the hug.  They never hugged, or hardly ever did, but Demona was counting on the enemy not knowing that.  Demona barely had time to register that when she heard the back door of the car opening.  She moved her body in front of Elisa's while she turned quickly to pull the gun out and aim it at… Angela?

            "Mother?"  Angela stared at the gun for a moment, until Demona got over her shock and stopped threatening her oldest child.  She let the gun fall to her side while clicking the safety on.

            "Angela?"  Demona felt Elisa reach through her wings to take the gun out of her hand.  Demona handed it over easily and moved forward to hug Angela.  "I'm sorry, I thought…"

            Elisa stared at the two guns in her hands a little too long.  "I'm sorry I worried you.  I wanted this to be a surprise.  I didn't even think about how it might look."

            When Demona pulled away from Angela she glanced in the car to see the baby car seat still strapped in.  Elisa had brought both her daughters to visit her.  "Well, let's go inside."  Demona smiled one more time at Angela, before moving to get Delilah.  Once Delilah was safely in her arms Demona started to relax.  Her imagination had done horrible things to her.  She had started to wonder if the hatchling was even still alive.  It wouldn't be the first time humans had killed hatchlings.  She led the way back inside and opened the door with one hand while holding Delilah close to her body with the other.  Angela was walking slowly as she glanced around.  While Angela was distracted staring at Demona's living room Elisa held up the guns questioningly and Demona pointed her to where they went while rocking Delilah softly in her arms.  

            "Angela, while I am thrilled to see you here, why are you visiting?  Does your father know?"  Demona could imagine that he'd be unbelievably harsh with the girl if she snuck out, and Demona also figured he'd find some way to blame her for it.

            Angela turned to face her and the look of determination on her face clued Demona into the fact that coming here hadn't been easy for her oldest daughter.  "I told him I was coming."  Once that was said it was clear that Angela didn't want to elaborate, but Demona really wanted to know more.  He was stubborn and set in his ways.  There was no way he just agreed to let Angela come here because she wanted to come.

            "Well, you can't have eaten.  I can make something."

            "Actually I thought of that."  Elisa moved up beside Demona.  "I have some dinner in the car.  I'll go get it and be right back."  Demona watched the detective slip outside and knew that she was the main reason that Angela was here, whether Elisa knew it or not.  It made sense now.  Goliath probably did agree to send Angela as protection or to find out where Demona was.  Dammit, she just wanted to be able to relax and enjoy Angela's company, but she was now thinking about all the ways that Angela could find out her address from inside the house.  Where did she leave her mail?  Were any of her magazines out?  Her eyes flashed red in irritation for a moment, hating that she even had to think this way.  Goliath was getting more devious.  She'd never thought he'd learn, but far too little and far too late.  She smiled at Angela and led her into the kitchen.  She would just have to be more careful, but she wasn't going to let this ruin her evening.

            When the front door closed Delilah squirmed a little.  "Elisa, do you have any bottles?"  Demona asked a bit loudly.  The human had started to make some of her own so that she could let Demona feed Delilah.  Knowing how much Elisa valued that time with Delilah it was very nice that she was willing to share.  It would also be less awkward for the human.  Elisa had admitted that she was still uncomfortable with breast feeding around others, and couldn't imagine how those women that would do it in public managed.  It was a natural thing, but Demona knew better than to argue that with Elisa.  She was shy about it and it would take time.  Demona grinned when she remembered the first time Elisa did that in her presence.  The detective blushed during the entire feeding and tried to pretend that there was nothing going on.

            "Yeah.  I brought the bag in too."  Elisa came into the kitchen and set Delilah's bag done near Demona while giving Angela the other bag of what smelled like Chinese food.

            Demona was very aware of Angela watching her as she rummaged through the baby bag and pulled out a bottle.  The small smile on Angela's lips as Demona started to feed the hatchling was making Demona feel a bit uncomfortable with the silence while Elisa pulled out some plates and silverware.  "You look so… right with her."  Angela finally spoke while indicating the hatchling in her arms.  "I'm still worried that I'll break her if I hold her, but you make it look so natural, like Elisa does."

            That simple comment brought back all that was wrong with how Angela was raised and how the Vikings destroyed their lives.  Demona sighed heavily, "When I was young I helped to take care of the rookery.  All gargoyles had responsibilities other than fighting.  There was hunting, taking care of the hatchlings, teaching.  We all rotated on those responsibilities."  Demona glanced down at Delilah.  "I also was a leader of my own clan for several years, before the humans destroyed it.  There weren't as many gargoyles but there were always a few eggs for the rookery."

            Angela spoke hesitantly, "Did you let them know which eggs were theirs?"

            Demona glanced over at Elisa, surprised that the human would have told Angela that story.  Elisa just nodded and continued to work on dishing up three plates.  She turned back with a sigh, "Yes, they knew.  I didn't deny them that." 

            When Elisa set out the plates, she moved to take Delilah from her.  "No, you go ahead and eat."  Demona smiled at her.  "I can wait."  While feeding Delilah she needed both hands.  They'd gotten used to taking turns for things.

            After dinner Elisa took Delilah upstairs for a nap, leaving Demona alone with Angela.  The look the detective gave Demona let her know that Elisa wasn't planning on coming back downstairs for a while.  She was giving her time with Angela alone.  Demona gave her a small smile and nod, not noticing Angela watching her with a satisfied smile on her own face.

            Once Elisa was out of hearing range Angela's grin grew.  "You love her don't you?"

            "Well, she's my daughter.  Of course I love her, just like I love you."  Demona's voice held her confusion.  Did Angela truly believe she was incapable of that kind of love?

            "No, I'm talking about Elisa."  Angela's grin grew as Demona's eyes widened in surprise.  She no longer found the human annoying.  The detective had proven to be far better than a typical human, so much so that she hadn't thought the race capable of spawning someone like Elisa, but while she could admire those rare qualities that made Elisa almost a gargoyle at heart, she didn't love her. 

            "No."  Demona spoke softly as she tried to think of a way to say this without insulting the human mother of her hatchling.  "She has a gargoyle's soul, but she isn't a gargoyle."

            Angela's grin faded and she looked a bit angry.  "That's pretty much what she said."  Angela's soft angry growl was a surprise.  "Dammit mother, you have an opportunity for real love and you can't even see it.  So she isn't a gargoyle… who cares!  You didn't care on the Breeder's moon, and you know as well as I do that Gargoyles mate on that night.  There is no just breeding.  If you didn't see something in her that you wanted, you would have just gone without."

            Demona started to growl.  This wasn't any of Angela's business.  She had no idea what it was like to suffer over fifty breeder's moons alone.  She saw an opportunity to not endure that pain alone this time and let the detective seduce her.  She was just using Elisa that night.  It had nothing to do with love or respect, although she did respect the human.  She always had.

            "Mother, how many eggs have you laid in your lifetime?"

            The change of topic was a bit jarring.  "One, just you."

            "How many Breeders moon season were you around other gargoyles that could have mated you?"  Angela's eyes burned.  "How many times did you refuse to be flown?  Why did you give in to a human that couldn't have caught you no matter how hard she tried?"

            "Enough!"  Demona growled while turning away.  This wasn't up for discussion.

            Angela's voice was softer.  "Elisa's been alone for years mother.  She turned father down, and yet she was with you.  She isn't the kind of female to just breed either.  Did you ever even think about that?  She loved father, but she didn't love him enough to mate with him."  Demona wanted to tell Angela to be quiet, but she found herself listening with a bit of shock at what she'd never even considered.  "She's always defended you as long as I knew her.  I always thought she'd end up being my stepmother, that father would take her as his own.  If you aren't going to be a true mate to her he may still do that.  He still wants her.  I can see it in his eyes.  I've heard him talking to her, and it is so clear that he is trying to make her his mate."

            Demona's fists clenched at the thought of her ex still pursuing the human.  He'd chosen Elisa over Demona shortly after reawakening and it looked like he wasn't letting go.  Elisa slept with the clans enemy and had a child by her and he was still after the detective.

            "If you aren't Elisa's mate, perhaps she should start seeing father."  Angela added a bit coldly.  "Elisa is a wonderful female, and she deserves to be loved.  I would hate to think that she doesn't have that."

            "We aren't talking about this."  Demona growled while starting to march out of the kitchen.  She didn't want to think about this.  The idea of Goliath and Elisa together was disgusting to her.

            They spent the rest of the night talking about less aggravating things and shortly before sunrise Elisa pulled the limo into the garage and Angela got inside to turn to stone.  Once her oldest daughter was stone Demona sighed.  She'd made it the entire night without letting Angela know where they were.  She'd managed to hide all the mail, to keep Angela's eyes off the numbers on the house.  Angela got nothing that she could give to Goliath.  It didn't appear that the female was even really trying, but Demona didn't want her daughter put in a position where she might have to betray her.  It would hurt all the way around.

            "You covered your tracks pretty well."  Elisa came out of the house after putting Delilah to bed.  "I don't think she noticed the suddenly missing mail or anything else."

            "You know why he agreed to let her come, don't you?"  Demona turned to face Elisa in a bit of irritation.  Of course Elisa would have seen through that sudden change of heart.  She was hardly stupid.

            "Yes, but I figured you would rather see her and run around hiding your mail than miss the chance."  Elisa sighed as she held the front door open.  "It wasn't all about finding out where you are.  I think he's finally starting to realize a few things.  I may have confronted him about what you told me about the eggs."

            "Didn't believe me?"  Demona's voice was cold.

            "No, I believed you."  Elisa closed the front door.  "It just wasn't something that I could ignore.  Angela over heard us talking and he was in the doghouse with her for a while.  His agreeing to let her come was partly because Angela was already upset with him.  Maybe now that he knows who his daughter is he can appreciate why you would have wanted to know that."

            "And maybe he still thinks I'll kill you, or that I'll tell you other things that will upset you and sent her to stop that."

            Elisa crossed her arms in front of her and leaned on the entry table.  "If you don't want me to bring her I won't.  If you want me to call you before she visits in the future I will."

            "No, I like having her visit."  Demona glanced out towards the garage even though the wall blocked her view.  "I don't know how I feel about having both of them in a car by day.  What happens if you are ever pulled over?  Delilah is relatively easy to hide, but Angela is obviously a gargoyle and too big to hide with a sheet."

            "The only way to have her visit and not take that risk is to let her know where you are.  I'd prefer it, it does make me nervous driving her and I don't like borrowing the limo."

            Demona nodded quietly as she thought about that.  If Angela knew she'd tell the clan.  Her security system was very good, but how often would her mansion be on the patrol route after that?  While that would be irritating, it was safer for Angela to be able to glide in, or even travel in the limo at night when she could defend herself.  Elisa would die to protect Delilah or Angela, but having Angela in the car did put the detective at greater risk as well.  Elisa shouldn't get hurt because she was making an effort to help Demona see her older daughter.

            She went upstairs while Elisa headed for the shower.  It was a habit that they picked up easily.  Elisa went to sleep shortly after dawn, and on those days Demona didn't get any sleep at all.  It was tiring, but once Demona said she didn't need the sleep she wasn't about to equip the empty guest room with a bed for the detective.  She'd said it once to get Elisa to stay, not realizing that it would become the routine.  Elisa and Delilah came before dinner on visiting days, they studied Latin and ate together.  Once Delilah woke up they spent time with her and talked or Elisa would watch T.V. or read.  After the sun rose Elisa would get ready for bed and they would have lunch together before Elisa and Delilah left.

            She booted up her computer to work.  She passed time working while Elisa slept.  It helped make up for the fact that on visiting days she didn't go into the office.  The visits had been two or three times a week.  Elisa was being far more fair than that ex-husband of Carrie's.  Demona's receptionist truly had it tough.

            After reading a report Demona yawned, before noticing the detective leaning in the doorway in her pajamas.  "You aren't in bed yet?"

            "I was thinking I should apologize for not mentioning the added guest.  I just wanted to surprise you."  Elisa stared at her.  "You're tired."

            "I can survive."  Demona smiled at Elisa.

            "It's your bed.  If you want."  Elisa glanced at the computer and then back at her.  "It is a big bed.  I'm sure that we can both manage to sleep in it."

            Demona stared at the ceiling of her bedroom wondering why she'd agreed to this.  Letting Elisa sleep on the couch was hardly punishment, but when Elisa had said that she wouldn't sleep in that bed if Demona didn't want to share because Demona needed to get some sleep, Demona just couldn't make the mother of her child sleep on the couch.  It wasn't quite long enough.  It was fine for sitting on, but it wasn't comfortable to lay on.  Why the hell did she care?  Making Elisa sleep on the couch would hardly qualify as torture.

            Elisa's steady breathing made it clear that at least one of them could sleep.  Demona continued to stare at the ceiling.  She'd never shared a bed before.  She turned to stone when she was with Goliath, and they didn't even own a bed.  She had only slept for a few years, because of Puck's spell.  It was one aspect of her cursed human form that she hadn't explored, and the detective feel asleep so easily beside her while she felt tense and ready to bolt from the bed.  She wasn't ready to admit that she couldn't do it.  Having someone else in the bed was too distracting, but she'd fall asleep eventually.

One Month Two Weeks and One Day after Birth 

            Elisa stared into the mirror and turned to her side.  It would look like she had a boob job if she saw Maria.  The captain would think she took months off of work to get a boob job.  Maria had dropped by the old apartment the other day and called Elisa's cell today because she didn't know where she was.  It went to voice mail and Elisa hadn't returned that call yet.  She had no idea how she could hide these breasts.  If it wasn't one thing it was another.  Her stomach was now flat and it was her breasts that filled out her shirts too well.

            Her job on the night shift was still waiting for her, but Elisa didn't want to be away from Delilah all night.  That was the only time her baby was awake.  She could switch to the day shift, but then she wouldn't have her clan for backup, and she'd gotten to rely on them pretty heavily.  They were the reason that Elisa had such a high arrest rate.  She knew she was an above average cop, but now she had a reputation as a super cop at the station.

            She'd planned to use the leave time to give her time to figure out what she was going to do, but she still didn't know and it looked like it was time to face that.  She had assumed that she'd need to work for money, but Demona had changed that when she handed Elisa so much money.  That would also look suspicious when she came back.  Having that much cash in her account suddenly would make her look like a dirty cop.  Why hadn't she thought of that when she cashed that check?  Elisa sighed and moved into the living room.  She was thinking about a lot of things at the time and her job wasn't one of them.  Surprisingly she hadn't thought about her job in a while.

            She would have to tell Maria where she lived and that wasn't going to look good either.  She'd arrested Xanatos at one point.  He'd done time and so had Fox.  Living with them was suspicious.  Add the newly inflated bank account and it really didn't look good for her career.

            Did she want her job back?  Elisa was stunned that she was even questioning that.  She did a lot of good on the streets.  She made a difference and protected people.  Her career was where she'd wanted it.  She was a detective, had the respect of her co-workers, had her father's admiration when he was alive.  She'd followed in his footsteps and went further than he did in a lot less time, and that wasn't because of the clan.  She'd earned that on her own.  

Her job was rewarding and dangerous.  She could see why her father hadn't quit when their mother asked him to.  Elisa had been little when she woke up in the middle of the night and went downstairs to hear that conversation.  Her mother was scared that he'd get killed and leave her and the children.  Diane Maza never let her kids see how worried she was about him, but Elisa could remember a few times that late night visitors made her mother go pale before she went to answer the door.  She always told the kids to go up to their rooms at those moments so that they wouldn't see who it was.  Now Elisa knew that her mother thought she was getting the visit, the one that told you your lover and the father of your children was in the hospital or dead.

Elisa had had to give that visit before.  She had to go to a fellow officer's home to tell his wife that he was in the hospital, and it was horrible.  If Officer Morgan wasn't a friend of hers she wouldn't have done it, but she knew his wife and she really believed that sort of thing should come from someone familiar.  He had kids, and Elisa glanced at them before saying something.  When Morgan's wife didn't take that hint she smiled weakly at the children and told them she was going to talk to their mother for a moment before pulling her into the other room.  Kids shouldn't have to see this.  Elisa had tears trailing down her cheeks as she told Morgan's wife that he'd been shot and it looked serious.  Morgan's wife looked devastated as she collapsed onto a chair, and it took Elisa a long time to get enough information out of her to know who to call to help with the kids so that she could take the woman to the hospital to wait for news.  She rarely felt as helpless as she felt that night.  Morgan recovered and went back to work, but Elisa suspected that his wife got ill every time he put on his uniform and left the house.  

While Peter Maza was alive they were lucky to never get a visit like that, until the car accident.  Elisa did know that when she was shot her family had to endure that.  She knew that she had been out a while and it looked like she might die.  Again it was a stupid accident that almost killed her, not the job.  Still she couldn't say the job was safe or that it wouldn't kill her some day.

What would happen to Delilah if Elisa got seriously injured or killed?  She had no doubt that the clan would take care of her.  Her mother would offer, but the gargoyle hatchling needed more security against people like the Quarrymen than her mother could offer.  It was good to know that Delilah wouldn't be without that, the clan, Fox, Demona would all make sure that Delilah was safe, but Elisa could see another problem.  If she weren't here to defend Delilah's right to time with Demona, Angela would have hard time taking up that battle.  Angela would fight for it, knowing that was what Elisa wanted, but the visits would be horrible.  She could see the entire clan making sure that Demona didn't make a wrong move while playing with her daughter.  How long until Goliath either realized that Elisa was right or Demona snapped and proved Elisa wrong under all that pressure?  Goliath and the clan brought out the worst in the immortal.  Demona became someone different when she felt threatened, and at those times she did seem like the monster the clan thought she was.  

It was Demona's duality that was making it hard for Elisa to get Goliath to see beyond the mask Demona wore into battle.  Elisa had no doubt that having access to Delilah was helping Demona.  The gargoyle was more relaxed, more content, and less violent now.  She also didn't doubt that losing Delilah to the clan would result in the clan seeing how good a warrior the immortal really was.  They had no idea that if Demona really wanted to beat the clan, and was focused on that goal, she could do it.  She was ten times the warrior that she let the clan see.  With them she fought like she did a thousand years ago, as if she hadn't learned anything in that time that the clan slept.  Elisa still didn't understand why Demona hid that.  Why she hatched plots only to not fight with everything she had to ensure they worked.

Elisa shook her head to clear these thoughts.  She could contemplate and debate about Demona forever and still not get anywhere.  She needed to make a decision about work.  Maybe making a pros and cons list would help.  Elisa got up and went to the bookshelf for a tablet of paper and something to write with.  She had too many things to consider in this decision.  Too many people that would be affected no matter what she decided. 

She put the two large lists away shortly before sunset to think about later.  It was depressing to have to think about this.  When Delilah woke up Elisa forcefully pushed her worries away and focused on her little girl.  "Dammit, there is no way I can do the night shift."  She spoke quietly to herself as she fed Delilah.  She would hardly be a mother if she only saw her baby two nights a week.  If she couldn't work nights, it swayed her pros and cons list considerably.  She couldn't use her position to help the clan with patrols.  

When Angela didn't come to visit after Delilah's feeding Elisa knew the girl was being interrogated by Goliath about the evening at Demona's.  Someone else knocked at the door and Elisa felt a little bad about it but she decided to make a stand.  "Delilah and I were just going to spend a few hours by ourselves.  I'm sorry."  Theresa looked a bit surprised by that.  "We never get any alone time."  And Elisa was pretty sure that after Angela and Goliath talked he'd want to drop by to visit.  His visits were so emotionally draining that Elisa wanted time to prepare.  He obviously wanted her back, only they had never been together.  She cared about him, but she just didn't want the same things that he did, and it was so tiring to try and not hurt him while not caving in.  "Tomorrow you could drop by."  Elisa conceded a little.  Theresa was very nice about it all and left her to bond with the hatchling in peace.

            As predicted she recognized his knock on the door two hours later.  Elisa put Delilah in her bassinet and covered up the sleepy little girl before answering the door.  Goliath looked a bit tense as he came in.  "I was talking to Angela…"  What a surprise, Elisa thought sarcastically to herself.  "You really don't think she's a danger to you anymore do you?"  She'd been saying that for months, but it looked like he was finally hearing it.  He sat on the chair and stared at Elisa.  "Angela told me Demona thought it was an attack when Angela got out of the car and the first thing Demona did was protect you."  Elisa stayed quiet as he struggled to accept this.  He didn't trust Elisa's opinion and had sent Angela in for a second opinion on this.  She wasn't very happy with that, and if it had been anyone but Angela she would have fought it.

            "Demona is very good to me and Delilah."  Elisa spoke softly to verify what he seemed so confused about.  He'd thought that all that was gentle and good in Demona had died.  Maybe he regretted leaving the female now.  She'd seen that look on his face before.  He was upset the way he used to get upset after a confrontation with Demona, before he'd given up on her.  The idea that he might want Demona back didn't sit well with Elisa.  He was all wrong for Demona.  Elisa sat quietly in the uneasy silence as his depression seemed to fill the room.

            "You were right weren't you?"  Goliath spoke quietly.  "Spending time with Angela would have helped her.  Having a child would have mellowed her sooner."

            "She has a reason to live that doesn't involve vengeance."  Elisa had been trying to tell him this for years, and now he heard it.  "She still doesn't like humans, she may always hate…"  Elisa sighed as that thought hurt.  Demona may never let go of that hatred and pain, and the more Elisa heard of Demona's life she could see how hard getting Demona to do that would be.  The stories of the Archmage alone made Elisa angry.  When she'd seen him in Avalon she'd known he was bad news, but hearing Demona's stories made it more personal.  Demona hadn't deserved to be treated like that.

            "If you want her to visit here, just let me know in advance.  I won't trust her to not try and steal something, but maybe I don't need to keep her away from Angela."

            "Thanks."  Elisa smiled at him, but she didn't want to take him up on that offer.  When he got up to leave she stayed seated.  It would be less trouble to have Demona visit here.  She really should have them switch their routine.  With Goliath backing this the clan wouldn't be as hostile.  Even as Elisa thought all of this she felt a gut instinct that told her it just wasn't a good idea.  Something was happening and changing things now might ruin it.

One Month Two Weeks and Two Days after Birth 

            "Mom."  Elisa sighed heavily and watched her mother sit down on her couch.  Diane Maza was still a little put off by the fact that Elisa had left Delilah home alone.  The idea that a stone child didn't need a babysitter would take time for her mother to accept.  "Maria called me.  She wants me to come back."

            "And what is the problem?"  Diane obviously already knew what the problem was.

            "I can't do it.  I've worked so hard to get were I am in my career and I can't go back."  Elisa loved her daughter, but this was getting to be so hard.  She lost her home, and now her career.  She felt ashamed of herself for having such a hard time deciding when there really wasn't a decision to be made.  She couldn't have that dangerous and time consuming job now.  She just had to tell Maria that.

            Diane sighed.  "I know it's hard.  Maybe when Delilah isn't so young you could go back if you want."

            Elisa knew that her mother didn't really want her to do that, but she wasn't pressuring her.  That was a surprise.  "Thanks."  Elisa smiled weakly, but she couldn't go back.  That life was over.  She just needed to figure out what to do from here.  She enjoyed working and helping people.  She would go crazy if she became a stay at home mom.  She needed to work.

            "What about money?  Are you going to be okay?"

            "Demona is taking care of that."  Elisa didn't notice the faint smile on her lips but Diane's eyes traveled to it.  "She's given me far more than enough to last a while."

            "How are things going with you and Demona?"  Diane's question startled Elisa.  She wanted to deny that there was a relationship, but realized that wasn't what her mother was probably asking.

            "I take Delilah to visit her three times a week.  That's working out pretty well."

            There was a strange gleam in Diane's eyes that Elisa was familiar with.  It was the matchmaker version of her mother.  She hadn't been wrong in that first impression of the question.  "So you two are getting along pretty well during those visits?"

            "You heard some of the things she's done.  Why are you suddenly trying to set me up with her?"  Diane didn't know about the times that Elisa's life may have been in danger because of Demona.  That was where Elisa had seriously drawn the line in what the clan could tell her mother, but the woman did hear about the betrayal years ago and the attempts to kill Goliath that surprisingly never really panned out either.

            "You two have a beautiful little girl together."  Diane started and Elisa was surprised her mother was so traditional as to think having a child together meant you should get married.  "And she makes you smile."

            "Elisa."  Diane started gently.  "I know what you look like when you are in love.  I've seen it before.  Her name makes you smile, and you seemed to become energized anytime she visited you while you were cooped up in the hospital wing."  Elisa's jaw dropped a bit.  "And you told me you had agreed to one visit a week, but you've up it to three pretty quickly."

            "I'm just trying to be fair."  Elisa sighed.  "She's a good mother and she doesn't have anyone else.  I just thought that she could use more time with Delilah."  She wasn't going to address the smiling issue.  Her mother was fishing and Elisa didn't like going over the fact that Demona didn't like humans repeatedly.  "And that hospital was so damned boring, any visitors made my day."

            "Elisa, I never thought I'd have to tell you this since you've always understood it better than me."  Diane looked a bit disapproving, "but life is too short.  You need to take love where you find it."

            "She doesn't love me."  Elisa spoke wearily.  "She tolerates me, she _might_ like me, but she doesn't love me."  

            Diane spoke gently.  "Oh Elisa."  Her voice held too much sympathy, but Elisa ignored it.  "When she brought Delilah out to see the clan that first night she said something."  Diane leaned forward just a little.  "Goliath wanted to know why the doctor hadn't reported on your health himself, and she called you her mate.  From the stunned look on the gargoyles faces I understood that it means something pretty serious."

            Elisa just stared at her mother in shock.  Demona had made a big deal of explaining to Angela that they weren't mates.  She almost believed that Demona meant the mate comment, but perhaps Demona said that to rub in the fact that she'd gotten Elisa pregnant and Goliath didn't.  That was the sort of thing she'd do.  "I'm sure she didn't mean it.  She just likes to upset Goliath."  Elisa's voice held more conviction than she really felt as she tried to squash that moment of irrational hope.  She tried to suppress these feelings, since it was so hopeless, and her mother had to go and say something like that.  This emotional roller coaster she was on wasn't any fun.  Hell, even Demona's attempt to protect Elisa from what she thought was an attack could very well be Demona looking out for her best interests.  Elisa was giving Demona access to Delilah and the gargoyle had to know that if there was no Elisa, there would be no visits.

Diane looked a little disappointed.  Elisa didn't know what to think about that.  Her mother had been a bit unpredictable since her father died.  She was determined that Derek have everything he needed to start his family and now that Elisa had a child she was determined that Elisa find love.  Beth lived too far away from home to benefit from the new very hands on and meddling mother.

One Month Two Weeks and Four Days after Birth 

            The drive to Destine Manor didn't take as long on the weekend, but it was still long enough for Elisa to get lost in her thoughts.  Mate?  Dammit, why did her mother have to tell her that?  It was hard enough to push the memory of that one night of lovemaking from her mind, she didn't need someone giving her the hope that it had actually meant something to Demona.  That she actually meant something to Demona.

            Elisa gritted her teeth while she waited to get on the freeway.  She'd gone and fallen for someone even more unavailable than Goliath had been and it was so typical of her.  She'd wanted Goliath until it looked like he returned her feelings, and then she didn't find him nearly as interesting as a potential lover.  But Demona, she felt so different from the failed relationships of Elisa's past.  Elisa turned up the radio and pushed those thoughts away for now.  If she showed up all depressed the gargoyle would ask questions that Elisa wasn't ready to answer.

********

            Demona watched Elisa carry Delilah upstairs and she had the distinct impression that something was wrong.  She grabbed the hatchling's bag and followed quietly.  Elisa would mention it during dinner.  She normally waited until then to unload whatever was bothering her.

            Angela's meddling comments kept repeating in her mind as she watched Elisa nibbling on the edge of her pencil while studying one of the books.  Elisa had no real desire to learn Latin and hadn't been offered any magic lessons.  She was just putting herself through this because Demona had asked her too.  She knew that Elisa wasn't thrilled with the idea of Delilah learning magic and she was spending several hours a week studying something she obviously didn't enjoy anyhow.  She was supporting Demona's desire to give their daughter that chance.  It was far more than Demona expected, far more than she'd gotten with Goliath.  Well, that wasn't entirely fair.  He had been busy running the clan and Elisa had a lot more free time than he did, but still Elisa was supporting her decisions.

            Elisa was human.  That was the biggest and most significant strike against her.  Demona rested her head on her hand and pretended to be reading the newspaper while waiting for the dinner to be ready.  It was rare for gargoyles to get into same sex relationships, but her clan at Moray had one such couple.  She still remembered the females asking her to intervene on that shortly before a Breeders moon.  The two unmated females wanted her to declare that since gargoyles were so small in numbers that the males should attempt to breed that night, just breed… not mate.  That was the only time she'd heard of such a thing and the concept of using the Breeder's moon to fulfill nothing but the biological need to create eggs had sickened her.  She'd always believed that night was about so much more than procreation.  She felt bad for those females that obviously wanted eggs badly enough to suggest such a human way of dealing with it, but those males loved each other dearly, and she wasn't able to order such a thing even to increase the numbers of their clan.  

            Angela had asked how many Breeder's moons Demona could have been flown and chose not to.  She hadn't felt the need to answer it at the time, but last night she found herself trying to count them.  Her time at Moray wasn't the only time she was around other gargoyles during the Breeder's moon.  She'd stumbled upon a small group of London gargoyles a few hundred years ago during that time as well.  She'd chosen to suffer alone during the moon when she had the option not to four times, if she counted that one time that MacBeth and her were trapped together and he didn't care to share her painful need.  He'd offered that once and only that once to help her.  She'd almost killed him for suggesting it.  If she weren't so weak with her needs at the time she could have done it.  She wasn't thinking clearly enough to realize the consequences of finally ridding herself of him.  She'd denied her own kind and an immortal human male, but she'd surrendered to Elisa.

She watched covertly as Elisa slowly tucked a piece of hair behind her ear while turning the page.  She was truly beautiful for a human.  Delilah was going to inherit that beauty, Demona could see that already.  She wondered how much like Elisa Delilah would look.  That one night Elisa was turned into a gargoyle she had been a very breathtakingly beautiful gargoyle as well.  But she wasn't truly a gargoyle.  She was a human.  Granted Elisa acted more like a gargoyle than a human.  Dammit, why did she of all gargoyles let a human mate her?  She was the only gargoyle that saw that race for what they really were, and yet she had never seen another gargoyle mate a human.  Goliath's fascination with the human was the closest to that she'd ever seen, and it was just hugs and longing looks at the time.  It had infuriated her that he'd stoop to considering such a thing, and yet she had gone so much further than that with that same human.  Was it just something about Elisa?

            Elisa attracted gargoyles.  The detective ensnared Goliath and it was so clear that Broadway did have a crush on her before Angela arrived, and might still harbor a small crush today.  Angela had bonded so quickly with Elisa, to the point that she wanted Elisa to be family pretty desperately.  

            Demona got up and put the noodles in the now boiling water.  She then pulled the lettuce and other items out to make a salad to go with their spaghetti.  When Elisa made a motion to get up and help Demona just smiled and shook her head.  She had this covered.  The mindless motion was almost soothing to the disturbing turn her thoughts were taking lately.

********

            "I quit my job today."  Elisa spoke softly while she picked up her glass.  They had just started to eat.  "I had to say it several times in several different ways before Maria actually believed me." 

            She watched as Demona put her glass down before taking a sip.  "Are you okay?"  That simple question made Elisa smile just a little.  

            "I'm feeling pretty lost right now."  Elisa stared down at the plate.  "All I ever wanted to be was a cop like my dad.  Its strange, I hated him having that job then and worried about him all the time, but I followed his footsteps."  Elisa took a small sip and glanced over to see Demona slowly starting her dinner while listening.  

            "If you feel you need to work, I can hire you."  Demona stared into Elisa's eyes. 

            "Thanks for the job offer, but I'm hardly cut out for business."  Elisa sighed as she imagined that.  She worked briefly undercover at an office once, and she didn't really care for it.  It was all paperwork and no action.

            "There are other types of positions at NightStone."  Demona smiled just a little.

            Elisa tried to explain it.  "I need to help other people.  Taking a job that doesn't give me that would eat away at me."

            "You were born wrong."  Demona reached for her fork again.  "You really should have been a gargoyle."  Demona didn't sound like that was entirely a compliment, but Elisa chose to take it that way.  Knowing Demona's views on humans, it was, even if it were demeaning and prejudiced as well.  "You can take your time to think of something you'd like to do.  I'll take care of your bills if you need me to."  Elisa couldn't help but think that Demona had already taken care of her bills.  

            "Thanks, but I should be fine."

            "I know now you didn't tell me to get to my money."  Demona was looking just a little irritated, "but take it if you need it.  I didn't have to quit my job because of our daughter.  You've sacrificed enough because of this."

            "I love her.  I don't regret having to re-arrange my life if it means I can have her."  It just isn't easy, and occasionally hurts, but Delilah is so very worth it all, Elisa added in her mind.

            The rest of dinner was pretty uneventful and a bit too quiet.  After dinner Demona worked with Elisa to try and learn the pronunciation of a few Latin words, and it was embarrassing how badly Elisa continued to botch them.  The switch to a real conversation was a bit of a surprise, since Demona tended to be pretty single minded as a teacher.

            "How are you getting along with the clan now?"

            "I've started to put my foot down on the visiting hours."  Elisa looked up and could see that wasn't the answer Demona wanted.  Unfortunately Elisa didn't know what Demona was asking about.

            "Is Goliath still being pig headed?"

            "No, he's getting better."  Elisa sighed.  Maybe Demona would want to go to the castle.  Elisa couldn't imagine that, but she should have the option.  "He said you can visit the castle.  He's not going to try and keep Angela away from you so much."

            "Well, that's good."  Demona didn't sound completely convinced in his sincerity.  "I notice you didn't call me right up and let me know."

            A slight blush covered Elisa's cheeks.  "I prefer visiting you here.  I get so sick of my own four walls, and it's just so much less stressful."  She started to work more spaghetti onto her fork and didn't notice the studying look Demona gave her.

            "I don't really want to go to the castle.  Too many bad memories."  Demona spoke softly and when Elisa glanced up the soft smile aimed at her was a bit reassuring.  Elisa imagined that these extra long visits would be a thing of the past if the visiting moved to her home.  Or where she lived, it didn't really feel like her home yet.  She felt much more comfortable here.

            Demona was busy changing Delilah and Elisa tried not to smile at the brief look of disgust that crossed the gargoyle's face.  Elisa was more than willing to share in this aspect of parenthood.  Once that was taken care of they went downstairs to lay on the living room floor in front of a fire.  

            "How does Goliath treat Delilah?"

            Elisa was starting to wonder what Demona was after.  Did she want Goliath back?  That was not a very pleasant thought.  She kept her concerns to herself while she answered the question.  "He coos at her and will play with her once in a while."  She didn't mention the way he'd sometimes stare at the hatchling like she held some deep answer that he didn't even know the question to, or how depressed he'd get when he did that.

            "So he visits you often to play with Delilah?"  Elisa glanced over the baby in question to see Demona trying to seem not as interested in the question as she truly was.  Elisa could read Demona a lot better than she used to, and she'd always been able to read her relatively well.  This wasn't about Delilah at all.  It was about Goliath.  Part of Elisa wanted to just snap at Demona and tell the gargoyle that she was being ridiculous if she thought Goliath would take her back after everything that had happened.  

            "He comes by every night."  Elisa's voice held a note of warning.  She wanted off this subject.

            "Is he still hounding you to be his?"  There was a definite irritation and anger that Demona managed to still keep quiet so as not to disturb Delilah.

            "How did you hear about that?"  Elisa thought for a moment before she realized Angela must have said something.  Why would Angela do that?

            "I'll take that as a yes."  Demona growled as she got up.  "I'll be right back."  Elisa raised her eyebrow but just nodded.  


	8. Pursuit of Happiness

Something To Tell You:  

Pursuit of Happiness

By Princess Alexandria 

Sequel to:  Opening Eyes.  

**Alternate Universe Fiction**

One Month Two Weeks and Four Days after Birth

         Elisa finished her shower and was drying her hair as she stared at her naked reflection.  The scar from Delilah's birth was not attractive.  She was also still working on recovering her figure.  Her eyes swept over the other scar on her body.  Her hand trailed over the bullet scar on her chest for a moment, remembering how Demona had looked when she first saw it in the cave.  There was sadness in her eyes that Elisa just hadn't let herself think about.  She hadn't made love to anyone since before it had happened, and Demona was the first lover to see it.  The only lover to see it.

         As she brushed her hair she found her thoughts revolving around the gargoyle that was now in human form and pretending she didn't need sleep while trying to work.  Through some cosmic joke she'd fallen for that gargoyle, and if she really thought about it Elisa didn't believe her feelings weren't returned.  Perhaps that was what the interrogation about Goliath was about.  It wasn't Goliath that Demona was interested in.  Elisa sighed.  Why did things have to be so complicated with Demona?  If Demona were someone else, someone a bit more rational, Elisa would sit down with her and talk about this attraction and where their relationship should go, but Demona wouldn't take a discussion like that well.  Elisa preferred to deal with things straight on, but that wasn't going to be possible in this case.

         Elisa continued to brush her hair while thinking about Demona.  The death threats had stopped after Paris.  Knowing now that Demona had found out that Elisa was trying to get Angela to see her mother, it could have been Demona keeping her one ally in that battle or it could be something more.  Demona's constant visits to Elisa's apartment after finding out about Delilah could have just been Demona trying to protect the unborn hatchling, or it could have been because they really did seem to get along.  Elisa knew she enjoyed those visits.  They were at least friends, at the very least.  The conversations they had were too personal for it to be anything less.  Elisa got the feeling that Demona told her things that she hadn't told anyone else in a very long time, if ever.

         For some reason Angela had seen fit to lie to her mother about Goliath's chances with Elisa, because the young female knew that Elisa didn't want to be his mate.  Angela must have seen something, she was pretty perceptive.  Demona's quick and automatic response to her thinking they were under attack was to protect Elisa, Delilah wasn't in her arms, and from the look of relief on Demona's face when she picked up their daughter, Demona may have already thought Delilah was gone.  She protected Elisa with her own body.  The brush running through Elisa's hair stopped when she thought about that.  Delilah wasn't the reason that Demona protected Elisa, because if that were the case Demona wouldn't have looked so guilty when she almost released that virus when the Hunters first showed up.  Elisa had never talked to Demona about that.  It was another of those subjects likely to make the immortal go a bit irrational and angry.

         Elisa's dark eyes narrowed as she reached a decision.  She'd given Demona entirely too much slack.  It was time to find out where she stood with the gargoyle.  Still bringing up her own feelings for Demona without knowing how Demona would respond might not be wise.  Elisa started to grin, but there were other ways to see if the female was attracted to her.  Maybe Angela had the right idea after all.  If Demona didn't want Elisa in that way this shouldn't bother her at all.  The grin became more mischievous as Elisa felt a bit confident that Demona would be affected.  

         Elisa glanced at her sleepwear and decided that she was going to have to bring something a little sexier for her next visit.  Not overly obvious, but still anything would be better than this oversized t-shirt and shorts.  

         Once she was ready for bed she walked across the hall and watched Demona for a moment before the woman looked up.  Elisa smiled softly.  "You're coming to bed."  It wasn't a question.

         "I'm not really tired."  Demona still sounded tense.  She'd been snapping at Elisa a bit ever since she asked about Goliath.  

         "Look, I don't want to be in the way."  Elisa sighed.  "You need your sleep and if my being here is…"

         Demona cut her off quickly.  "No, I don't mind.  You can't drive through the city tired."

         Elisa only managed to keep the grin off of her face because of all the practice she'd had going under cover.  Her face was serious.  "I'm sure that I'd be fine.  I could just leave at dawn and we'd probably miss all the traffic."  Her voice became more concerned.  "This is your home and I don't want to be kicking you out of your own bed."

         Demona's eyes narrowed.  "You aren't going to drop this are you?"

         "Well, it's just not right."  Elisa could see the moment that Demona gave in.  The redhead seemed to slump a little before reaching out to shut down her computer.  When Demona stepped into the bathroom to get ready for bed Elisa allowed herself a little smile.  All was fair in love and war.  That was her new motto.  It wasn't really nice to use Demona's concern for Delilah's safety to get the redhead into bed, but it worked.  Now she'd behave herself so that Demona would stop fighting sleeping in the same bed so much.  Once Demona stopped protesting and was lulled into a false sense of security Elisa would up the ante.  She crawled into bed to get some sleep.  She really was pretty tired.

One Month Three Weeks after Birth

         Demona stayed at work late to make up for some of the days she hadn't showed up at all.  The business could run itself, but she preferred to make sure it ran smoothly.  Carrie had stayed with her without complaining.  Demona finally sent the woman home shortly before sunset.  She was just out taking a quick glide to clear her mind before looking at the endless columns of numbers again.

         A deep growl entered her throat when she saw the overgrown boyscout starting to trail after her.  Goliath wanted to talk.  How irritating.

         "Demona!"  He called out once he got closer.  She rolled her eyes and moved to land on a nearby building.  She grinned evilly when she noticed how hesitant he looked as he landed a few feet away from her.  He must think he landed out of range if she decided to attack.  At least he's learning caution.  Now if only he'd apply that to the humans.

         "What do you want now Goliath?"  Demona snapped at him while crossing her arms in front of her and glaring. 

         "I just wanted to talk."  His voice was calm with a hint of hope that she hadn't heard in it since shortly after he woke up.   

         She glared at him in silence while waiting for the latest sermon from him.  The speech about living in peace with those that would destroy them.  The endless talk about how hatred wasn't the answer when he didn't even know the question.  He looked at her and didn't say anything for a moment.  "Well, I don't want to stand here all night."  Demona snapped at him.  

         "Delilah is a very beautiful hatchling."  He spoke softly and some of the red glare in Demona's eyes faded.  "She has your wings and your browridge."

         "What are you after?"  Demona's glare got brighter as she remembered the talk with Angela.  He was sniffing around the detective like a dog in heat.  "Oh, is it the detective?"  She sneered at him as she watched his wings shake just a little at that comment.  "She is well worth it.  So passionate, so giving, oh that's right.  You wouldn't know about that would you?"  She wanted to make him hurt and knew just how to do it.  "She was easily the best I EVER had.  She made it very clear what a bumbling hatchling you had been during sex."  She smirked as she watched that blow hit him.  He'd actually been a decent lover, but he didn't need to know that.  "You had wanted her that Breeder's moon didn't you?"  Her grin was malicious as she watched his skin reddening.  "Was it painful doing without, or did you and Bronx have a good time?"

         "You are a cold hearted bitch."  Goliath's eyes burned as he growled under his breath.

         "That may be so."  Demona's voice was cold and her grin was gone.  "But I have a hatchling from this last Breeders moon, and you do not.  And I have…"  She shut her mouth before she could finish that sentence.  She glared at him in silence for a moment.  "What do you want?  I haven't got all night.  I have work to do."

         His eyes narrowed as he looked around the nearby buildings.  "Are you up to something?"

         She sighed loudly.  "I actually have a job.  I earn my money, I don't live off of the money of my enemies.  Do you like being Xanatos' pet?  Do you enjoy owing him for your every meal and the roof over your head?"

         He barked out a cruel laugh.  "Don't live off of the money of your enemy's?  What do you think you used to create NightStone?  MacBeth wasn't your friend last time I checked."

         An angry step in his direction stopped before she got close enough to hit the blind fool that she'd mated so long ago.  "I earned that money.  I am the reason he was king.  My clan kept him in that throne and he betrayed us.  I deserved his money and a hell of a lot more."  Her voice was a deep growl.  

         "He wasn't going to betray you."

         "Were you there?"  Demona's arm shot out to wave at the city in front of them agitation.  "Did you hear his plotting?  No.  You were asleep.  You have no idea what hell those thousand years were, so don't get all moral with me.  You weren't living in this world."  The pity that started to cloud his eyes only angered her further.  "You chose to abandon the eggs to the humans that were treating us like less than animals.  The same humans I was trying to prevent from ever hurting them."

         "You know as well as I do that one gargoyle cannot raise a rookery.  It would have been nothing more than slowly watching them all die."  Goliath sighed heavily while Demona glared at him.  "Without at least, at the very least, two caretakers, they would never have made it.  I didn't see you anywhere.  I thought you were dead.  I did the only thing that I could."

         Demona moved her glare to the night sky.  She remembered having to make that same choice after he'd given up on life and was turned to stone.  She'd watched in silence as the egg she laid and all her sisters' eggs were carted away by the Princess that she had been so convinced would kill them all in their sleep one day.  

Princess Katherine's hatred towards the clan had gotten to the point that Demona believed it was her that her future self had been warning her about.  The dead gargoyles littering the castle made it clear to Demona that it hadn't been the Princess.  She should have been clearer in talking, or asked more questions.  Of course the only reason that the Princess didn't destroy them was because someone else did it first.  To hear Angela talk so lovingly about that bitch after everything that the Princess put Demona and the clan through grated on her nerves so badly.  It was that Princess and her contempt for the gargoyles that made it so that Demona had to do something, and the captain had betrayed her.  She didn't want to hear how wonderful a mother that bitch was.

"You gave up."  Her voice was a bit lower in her disappointment.  She'd always thought he was so strong, but when things got truly tough, he gave up.  

The silence was uncomfortable, but Demona didn't want to talk anymore.  She started towards the edge of the roof to leave.

"I'm sorry about the eggs."  He spoke quickly trying to keep her from leaving.  "I'm sorry about the markings on the eggs.  I made what I thought was the best decision at the time, but…"

"But now the detective and Angela have expressed their doubt."  She turned to glare at him.  "I told you, begged you, to not overrule the vote like that and you didn't listen to me, but when Elisa brings it up you are all apologies and woeful eyes.  You make me sick."

         Goliath grimaced at her but he was holding his tongue.  "About Elisa…"  Demona took a deep breath while watching him intensely.  "I appreciate that you don't seem to be out to hurt her anymore."  Demona's eyes started to burn in the dismissive way he spoke about her and Elisa's relationship.  He approved of the lack of violence.  Well wasn't that nice.  The world could end today and Demona would be happy that at least Goliath was pleased she was sparing that human.  "She seems to like you."

         He spoke as if Demona didn't know any of this.  "She visits me more than she sees you.  Don't feel you need to tell me what she is feeling."

         His eyes narrowed and Demona could see it clearly now.  He was jealous, very jealous.  "I am trusting her detective skills in this.  You are allowed to visit Delilah at the castle from now on."

         She gave a cruel laugh.  "Trusting her?  You didn't trust her and she knows it.  You sent Angela to spy on us both and don't think that didn't piss Elisa off, because it did.  We decided not to take you up on that offer.  It would interfere with Elisa's Latin lessons."

         "You're teaching Elisa Latin?"  He looked completely baffled and Demona's cruel grin grew.  

         "My, my, there is a lot that my human isn't telling you, isn't there?  Don't worry, she has someone else to confide in now."

         His frustrated growl just made Demona feel all the more in control.  She loved being able to put him in his place.  He thought he was so important to Elisa that he could just snap his fingers and take the human away from Demona.  That wasn't going to happen.  Her smile started to fade into a frown but she stopped it in time that he didn't notice.  "You would be able to visit with Angela as well if you came to the castle instead of having Elisa come to you."

         Demona just shook her head slightly while glaring at him.  He wanted her under what he considered his roof.  He wanted to be in control, and to keep her and Elisa from…  Her glare moved to the city lights a moment before she faced him again.  "Angela is welcome to visit my home, but don't think you will suddenly be able to drop by to harass me.  My security system does cover the air.  You would be killed if you got too close."

         "I just agreed to let Angela visit with you and you are threatening to kill me?"  He sounded outraged.

         With a heavy and over emphasized sigh she glanced at him with obvious irritation.  "That security system is set to do more than just keep the clan away.  In case you hadn't noticed there are humans out there that like to kill gargoyles.  I am not letting any of them get into my home, where I have my hatchling.  I don't turn it off, and I always have it on full strength when Elisa and Delilah are home.  It's pretty simple.  I warned you it is there, so I'm obviously not planning on killing you with it.  It is your own fault if you stumble into it now."

         "What are your feelings for Elisa?"  He asked quietly and Demona almost let herself believe she'd imagined the question, but the expression on his face let her know that she hadn't.  She just stared at him in silence.  If she said she had no feelings for the human then he'd continue to pursue Elisa.  If she said that… if she said anything else he'd pester her and point out that Elisa was in fact human.

         "What, feeling threatened Goliath?"  Her voice was cruel and amused.  Not exactly how she was feeling.  "You shouldn't.  She has absolutely no interest in you either way.  One thing I can say about Elisa is that her tastes have improved.  She won't be your mate.  You should have taken the hint when she refused your offer the first time.  Your arrogance with her pretty much ruined it."  Her grin grew.  "We talk about all sorts of things.  Her relationship with the clan, her concern over quitting her job, her family and childhood…"

         "She quit her job?"  His honest surprise at that fact made the grin she'd placed on her face genuine.

         "She is obviously feeling much closer to me than you if you don't even know that."  Demona's fake sympathetic eyes didn't even seem to register with him at the moment.  "It was a very hard decision for her to make, but she made it.  I personally approve.  She shouldn't risk her life saving the worthless scum on these streets."

        He gave her a studying gaze.  "I need to go."  He spoke coldly and moved to the ledge.  She just smirked at him as he glided off, feeling a bit more secure about her place in Elisa's life.  

         She took a deep breath and that moment of levity passed.  Leaning against the roof access door she stared up at the stars.  She was defending her right to be with Elisa.  She could have access to both daughters and keep her home private if she went with Goliath's proposal to visit at the castle instead, but she had no intention of doing that.     

The Next Day

         Fox leaned against the doorway when Elisa opened the front door.  "You are coming to lunch with me."  Fox smirked at Elisa's pajama's, tousled hair and sleepy eyes.  "You've skipped the last dinner to go visit Demona, so you owe me."  Her arms crossed in front of her and Elisa just grinned at the obvious theatrics, "Do you realize you are the first woman to turn me down for a date?"

         "I didn't realize we were dating.  What would David say?"  Elisa grinned and moved to the side to allow Fox into the room.  She watched the teasing redhead walk to the couch to wait and couldn't help but wonder.  "How many women have you dated anyhow?"

         Fox's eyes twinkled with amusement.  "They didn't mean anything.  You are the only woman for me."  The redhead grinned at her, "What, you didn't think you had the market cornered did you?"

         "So, how many?"  Elisa smirked when Fox tried her flirting glance.    

         "Okay, so maybe dating is the wrong word."  Fox sat down a bit heavily and rested her arms along the back of the couch she was sitting on.  "Perhaps saying I might have kissed a few girls at slumber parties might be more accurate."

         Well, Elisa hadn't expected that.  Fox seemed so sexual that Elisa had always assumed the woman had at least once been with a woman.  Hell, she wouldn't be too surprised if Fox told her she'd participated in orgies.

         "I was saving myself for you."  Fox leered at Elisa's legs and trailed her eyes up slowly until Elisa started to chuckle.

         "You are too much."  Elisa slipped out of the room to get dressed.  

         They were out the door in less than twenty minutes.  Elisa felt a little proud of how fast she'd managed to get ready.  Now that she was awake she was aware of her own hunger.

         The same young man that had caught Elisa's playful flirting with Fox months ago was working, and took their orders.  Fox was watching the poor young man's retreat.  "Makes me feel like a dirty old woman looking at something that young."  Fox's smirk didn't indicate that she minded feeling that way at all.

         "Mrs. Robinson am I going to have to get out a hose?"  Elisa asked quietly before taking a sip of her drink.

         "Kinky.  Does Demona like that kind of play?"  Fox's eyes traveled back in time to catch Elisa's blush as Elisa glanced around to make sure they weren't being overheard before the latest round of teasing got into full swing.  

********

          The buzz of the front gate was expected, but Demona checked the car before buzzing Elisa in.  That last scare with the limo may have been a false alarm, but it just made it that much clearer how her enemies could use Delilah and Elisa against her.  

         After settling Delilah in her room they both went to sit in the kitchen.  Elisa used the time to study while Demona started to cook.  "I'd appreciate it if you didn't use me against Goliath again."  Elisa spoke softly.  Gritting her teeth while she envisioned the coming lecture Demona turned from the salad she was making to look at Elisa.  The ex-detective looked weary.  "He came to me after your talk."

         "What?  Did he demand you not study with me anymore?"  Demona moved to sit across from Elisa at the kitchen island, her hidden hand clenched in anger while she imagined his ranting at her human.

         "He's done making demands."  Elisa's dark eyes stared into her own.  "He just makes very strong suggestions now."

         Demona sneered, "So he suggested you stop studying with me?"

         "No he didn't."  Demona stared at her, looking for some indication that Elisa was lying to her.  Goliath wouldn't want Elisa spending this much time with her, she was certain of it, so why didn't he do it?  Elisa was telling her the truth.  She could see it in those dark eyes.  She could also see that Elisa wasn't happy with whatever had occurred.  Elisa's eyes softened.  "Demona, he's my friend and I live in the castle.  Don't make any trouble for me."  The slight smile softened the words.  "I make enough trouble for myself, I really don't need the help."  Elisa moved her hand to rest over Demona's on the counter.  "What happens here between us stays between us.  I tell you things, sometimes that I'm not ready to share…"  Demona found herself staring at the hand over her own in such a comfortable way.  When did Elisa start touching her so casually?  

         How had Elisa managed to do this without pissing her off?  She was telling Demona what to do and say with Goliath, but it didn't feel that way at all.  "Okay.  What's said here stays here.  I got it."  Demona pulled her hand away and moved to continue working on the salad quietly.  Elisa had just admitted that she trusts Demona with things that she doesn't tell the others, and Demona found it was unsettling to have it verified.  She quietly worked to slice the tomatoes while she listened to Elisa resume her studies.  

         After she corrected Elisa's pronunciation of a Latin word Demona continued to stare at the woman sitting across from her.  "Do you want to learn magic?"  She was shocked to hear herself saying that.  She hadn't heard of anyone taking an apprentice this old before, but Elisa was smart enough to pick up some, perhaps enough to help her protect Delilah.  It made sense now that she thought about it.  Elisa wouldn't need to become a sorceress; she just needed to know enough to protect herself and their daughter better.

         Elisa's shocked expression brought a small smile to Demona's lips.  She'd managed to surprise the human with that one.  "Me?"

         "Yes you." 

         "Um…"  Elisa looked like a deer caught in headlights.  

         "You could pick up a few spells.  You won't ever get to my level of power, it took me centuries, but I could teach you enough to be able to defend yourself better."  Her voice got softer.  "You could protect Delilah better when I'm not there to do it.  Xanatos has enemies too, living in the castle isn't going to always be safe."  Elisa looked like she was too stunned to think of a response, so Demona continued to talk faster.  "You have a good instinct for finding loopholes in spells.  You stopped that spell on Goliath.  You could do this."

         "Demona."  Elisa sighed.  "I'm not… I appreciate the offer, very much, but I don't feel comfortable with magic.  I prefer things I can see and understand."

         It felt like a personal rejection.  Demona sat back in her chair and glared at the human.  Didn't she know that Demona had NEVER offered to take an apprentice before?!  "I have to change.  It'll be night soon."  She growled out and left quickly while ignoring Elisa's call to come back.  Demona would have preferred to toss Elisa out of the mansion on her ass, but Elisa was the mother of her child, and Delilah would be awake soon.

         They spent the rest of the night like they normally did.  Demona slowly calmed down as the night progressed.  The gentle hands that sometimes brushed against her as Elisa caressed the daughter that was in Demona's arms and the searching and gentle eyes soothed her a little.

         "It's not about you.  I'm just too much a twentieth century woman."  Elisa finally spoke about it.  "I know I'm turning down an amazing offer, but I just can't see me being able to do what you can do.  You told me how hard you had to work for your magic.  I just don't have the time."  

         Time, that was right.  Elisa didn't have that kind of time.  It took Demona hundreds of years to get her skills, and Elisa was already old by apprentice standards.  She wouldn't even be able to learn what a normal human witch would know in the time she had and with being a mother.  Magic did demand lots of ones time.  "It's okay."  Demona spoke quietly because Delilah was starting to fall asleep in her arms.  The gentle caress of Demona's hair surprised her enough that she looked up into Elisa's face quickly.

         Elisa just gave her a small grin.  "It looked like you were almost ready to eat your own hair.  I was just getting it out of your face."

         "Oh."  Demona found herself glancing at the hair that Delilah had been playing with on the detective not that long ago.  Delilah had managed to grasp the concept of holding on and she'd latched onto the hair hanging near her easily.  Getting the hatchling to let go hadn't been that easy.  "Time for our little girl to get some rest."

         "Okay, well I'm going to go take a shower."  Elisa followed them up but didn't continue to the nursery with Demona.

         Demona knew that Elisa was going to push about sleep again so she used the time that Elisa was in the bathroom to send out her emails to her staff about the various projects that had better have done before tomorrow.  She stopped just long enough to deal with the pain of her change and then got back to work.

         When she heard Elisa leaning on the doorway she started to shut down her computer.  Demona wasn't going to have Elisa come to the conclusion that she shouldn't stay here after the visits.  The stubborn human would probably risk the drive tired all the time if she did.  "New pajamas?"  Demona asked quietly.  She was not at all comfortable with how very feminine the red silk button up shirt looked on the human.  Elisa looked so strong and soft.

         "Yeah, I saw it when I was out shopping with Fox and I liked the color."  Elisa glanced down at the shirt in question.  "Well, it's bed time."

         After Demona got ready for bed she could see that Elisa had already fallen asleep.  She quietly slid into her own side of the bed, taking one long glance at the human that she'd allowed around her when she was vulnerable, when she was sleeping and sighed.

A week and a half later

         Elisa caressed Delilah's brow ridge gently while staring down at her little girl.  They were on the living room floor at the mansion, with a cozy fire in the fireplace serving at the lighting for the room.  She didn't look up when Demona moved to sit down right next to her with their drinks.  "Can I see your brow ridge?"  she asked quietly while gently tickling Delilah.

         "What?"  Demona sounded surprised.  Elisa looked up into the gargoyle's eyes and smiled gently.

         "Can I see?  I never got to and I'm just curious."  Elisa watched as Demona's eyes widened just a little.  Demona placed the drinks on the table and with a sigh the gargoyle reached up and started to remove the tiara that she always wore.  Elisa stared at Demona's face briefly thinking it was strange to see her looking so different.  Her hand moved out to gently caress the exposed brow ridge.  "I didn't have one when I was a gargoyle."  She whispered.  She swallowed as her mouth went dry.  Demona was closing her eyes and allowing this touch.  It reminded Elisa of the night they'd made love.

         When Demona's eyes opened suddenly and she pulled back Elisa moved her eyes to the tiara in Demona's hand.  She didn't want the gargoyle pulling away too much.  "How does that stay on in a fight?"  The change of subject guaranteed that Demona wouldn't have time to berate herself for allowing a human to touch her.  Elisa had been working on getting Demona used to the gentle touches for a few weeks.  A caress here, standing closer to look over the gargoyle's shoulder, it was nothing that would seem obvious.  It could all be innocent, but it wasn't.  Demona no longer tensed up when Elisa was in her personal space and just accepted the gentle touches without comment now.

         "Try it on."  Demona's fanged grin was mischievous.  "And I'll hit you and see if I can knock it off."

         Elisa raised an eyebrow.  "I believe it was me kicking your ass on a few occasions."  Of course that was only when they were the same species, either human or gargoyle, but Elisa didn't mention that in their teasing.

         Demona's grin grew completely wicked.  "Did you want to try that now?"

         "Umm…"  Elisa grinned, "Can we wait until Delilah is in her stone sleep?"

         Demona laughed, "And I've changed, is that it?"  

         Elisa got up to start and get Delilah ready for bed.  "Yeah, that was the idea."

         "You know I could beat you even in my human form."  Demona's pride had her talking big.  Elisa smirked at her but didn't answer.  Demona probably could, but that would blow the secret the gargoyle was trying to keep from Elisa, so she probably wouldn't.  Elisa wanted to be able to ask the gargoyle why she always pulls her punches, but didn't think she was up to that conversation right now.  

         "Big talk."  Elisa started to carry Delilah upstairs.  "But you're still a rookie."

         Demona was by her side walking upstairs with her rather quickly.  Elisa tried to not laugh at the gargoyle's irritation.  "I have a gym.  Do you want to try it?  Or are you afraid to go back to the castle all bruised?"

         Well, that would be awkward and hard to explain, but Demona's hovering nearby made it clear that the female wanted to spar.  Elisa kind of missed sparring, all she did with Fox was work out right now.  They hadn't taken the time to fight.  "After sleep, you're on."  She wanted to be at her best when she took on Demona again.  Elisa hid her smirk by looking down and letting her hair cover her face.  Of course a little cheating could help.  They both knew in a real fight Elisa wouldn't have a chance, so this wasn't going to be a real fight.  Cheating, Elisa's grin grew wicked, would make it much more interesting.


	9. Alls Fair in Love and War

Something To Tell You:  

Alls Fair In Love And War

By Luna Wyrd 

Sequel to:  Pursuit of Happiness.  

**Alternate Universe Fiction** Two Months and Five Days after Birth 

         Elisa's eyes were open as she stared at the wall listening to Demona's breathing.  She was just waiting until the redhead fell asleep to move.  The pleasant tingling in her body made it easy to stay awake until it was time.  Once she knew Demona was out she rolled over while pretending to be asleep while she was moving just in case the redhead woke up.  Her heart was beating a little faster as she moved to the other side of the bed and laid her head on Demona's shoulder while wrapping her arm around the redhead to pull her closer like a teddy bear.

         She released a breath she didn't realize she was holding as the female didn't wake up right away.  Demona smelled good, like apples.  It was the shampoo that the redhead used.  It took a large deal of effort to push the memory of the last time she was this close to the gargoyle out of her mind.  When she realized that she hadn't been this close to this form before it spiked Elisa's arousal and she gritted her teeth.  This plan was harder on her than she would have thought.  She had to just work on giving the gargoyle ideas.  Elisa had been the one to make the first moves last time, and she wanted the gargoyle to do more than simply let Elisa have her again.

         After about a half hour of cuddling and trying to calm down Elisa managed to fall asleep, but if she hadn't been so tired to begin with she couldn't have done it.  In her sleep Demona held Elisa's body tight to her own.

         Elisa groggily woke up when she felt the body underneath her tense up.  Since Demona couldn't see her face Elisa allowed herself a wicked smile as she stayed where she was and kept her breathing regular so that Demona would think she was asleep.  She waited a moment for Demona to fully grasp her situation and then hugged the redhead to her sleepily before Demona could try to escape.

*********

         Something was off.  Demona woke up to find an unfamiliar warmness next to her and opened her eyes suddenly while her body tensed.  Black hair filled her vision when she looked down at the body laying over her own.  The gentle squeeze Elisa gave her to keep her in place when she started to move froze Demona and her wide eyes stared at the ceiling in shock.

         Elisa's body was warm, and Demona could feel her naked leg, the leg that had slipped between her own.  Elisa's soft curves pressed into her side as the ex-detective seemed to nuzzle Demona's shoulder.  That catapulted her into action.  She gently grabbed Elisa's shoulder and tried to roll Elisa off of her.  She didn't want to wake her up and face the embarrassment of this position.  Elisa had to have rolled over in her sleep.

         "shit."  She whispered tensely as the leg between her own shifted.  Elisa shifted to hold her even tighter.  Demona wasn't going to be able to dislodge the sleeping human.  She allowed her own body's tension to calm down as she tried to think of a way out of this without waking Elisa up.  Her own skin was already blushing in embarrassment, she didn't need witnesses.  If she could just escape Elisa need never know about this.

         The feel of a body pressed against hers was new.  She'd only felt that during sex before, because gargoyles don't sleep.  She should never have let Elisa talk her into sleeping in the same bed with her!  Demona's heart was beating quickly and her breathing was just a little more rapid than it should be.  She slowly rolled Elisa over and this time the human moved.  Once she was free Demona got out of bed quickly and just stared at Elisa's exposed legs.  The sheets had been tossed in such a way as to leave the woman uncovered for the most part.  Elisa's dark hair fanned across the pillow.  She really was quite beautiful.

         Demona decided to not get back into bed and risk Elisa cuddling up to her again.  It had felt too good.  The redhead gritted her teeth and turned to march over to the closet.  That was all the sleep she was going to be getting right now.

         Once she was dressed she walked over to the bed and gently covered the human with the sheets while studying her.  Elisa truly was amazing.  Before she'd even realized her intent Demona reached out to caress the human's hair gently.  She'd spent countless years alone, but now she didn't feel alone anymore.  She looked forward to the visits and it gave her endless days meaning.

         She barely managed to not growl at herself as she spun to leave.  Human, Elisa was a human.  This was ridiculous.  That night in the cave she'd been delirious, out of her mind with her mating needs.  She could chalk that whole thing up to desperation, if she ignored how badly she just wanted to crawl back into bed right now.  She closed the door quietly not noticing the soft smile on Elisa's lips as she slept.

         She made her way down the hall and into Delilah's room.  A soft smile crossed her face as she looked into the crib.  The car seat containing their daughter was set inside of it.  "How's my little girl?"  Demona whispered to her child while moving a chair closer to the crib to sit down.  She loved Delilah completely.  The smooth feel of stone under Demona's fingers was somewhat comforting.  She found her fingers gently exploring the bellybutton peeking out from under the baby's shirt.  Her little girl was part human and there was no telling at this age how that was going to affect her.  Her little baby was part human and Demona loved her with all of her heart.  She knew that hatchlings grew up faster than she'd normally want, but right now it seemed like it would be forever before she could teach Delilah to glide.  She would have someone to glide with now.  She had clan.  Elisa had given her clan.  Tears started to gather in Demona's eyes as that thought hit her.  

         It was almost the time that Elisa normally woke up, so Demona went downstairs to start lunch.  She grinned when she thought about Elisa's lesson today.  The human honestly seemed to think she could win.

         The sound of soft footsteps on the stairs let Demona know that the ex-detective was awake.  When she looked up she was surprised to see the woman still in her pajamas.  The soft red silk fell to mid thigh while having slits along the sides that exposed a hint of black lacey underwear when the human reached up into the cupboard for a glass on the top shelf rather than the ones lower down.  "Morning."  Elisa smiled and moved towards the fridge for her juice.

         Demona shook herself out of her staring and gave Elisa a questioning look.  "Why aren't you dressed?"

         Elisa's smile became wicked, "The conversation last night was about how you fight in those clothes and your jewelry.  I was going to wear them, but I don't know where you hid them."  Demona just blinked as she stared at the woman.  Her clothes?  Elisa wanted to wear her clothes?  "That was what we were talking about."  Elisa's voice held a teasing quality that was both frustrating and cute.  The human looked down at her glass and then glanced up at Demona with just her eyes.

         "Okay."  The redhead spoke quietly and was surprised that she agreed to this.  It seemed foolish, but if that was how Elisa wanted to do this that was fine.  It would throw off the ex-detective's concentration.

         While they ate they talked.  Demona was distracted by thoughts of the upcoming fight.  She wanted to show Elisa she was no rookie, but she didn't want to hurt the human either.  Elisa wasn't immortal and didn't heal like Demona did.  She may be confident that she could win, but the truth of the matter was that she wasn't as used to her human form and usually relied on her talons and tail in a close contact fight.  When Elisa reached over to pick up the syrup for the waffles the front of her nightshirt fell forward exposing a generous portion of the human's cleavage and that scar.  It didn't detract from the beauty of the human.  It was a testament to Elisa's fighting spirit that she survived that.

         Demona brought Elisa her night outfit complete with jewelry since that was the reason they got into this.  Once Elisa had put the clothes on she came back out with the tiara in hand.  "Could you put this on?  I want to make sure you don't claim I didn't do that right."  When Demona turned to look at her she just stared for a moment.  The outfit looked good on her.  Elisa didn't look like a gargoyle, but that outfit…  "Hello?"  Elisa seemed amused by Demona's momentary lapse in concentration.  Demona just walked over to her and took the tiara quietly to fit it on Elisa's forehead.

         "My brow ridge usually helps keep it on, but it hadn't been knocked off even in the human form."  Elisa was resting her hand on Demona's forearm and it made Demona very aware of how closely she was standing.  She took a step back and turned around quickly.  

         "This is kinda breezy."  Elisa was putting the arm band on and Demona caught sight of that in the mirror in front of her.  "I feel naked."

         "You get used to it."  Demona moved to the mirror and pulled her hair back to put it in a pony tail.  The tiara usually helped to keep her hair out of her face in a battle, but since Elisa was using it she'd do something else.  "Getting used to wearing pants was a real adjustment.  I felt so closed in at first."

         Demona lead Elisa into the gym and noticed the human glancing around.  The gym's ceiling was two stories high and consisted of several machines and punching bags.  Demona only worked out here in her human form, because her true form would make short work of any of the things in here.  She found that increased strength in her day form translated to increased strength in her true form.

         Elisa put her foot up on a bench and adjusted the anklet, the loincloth fell between her legs and ended up exposing more of the humans thigh.  Demona shook her head and sat down to remove her shoes.  She'd make this fair, Elisa insisted on just wearing that outfit and no shoes, so she'd level the playing field.  She had dressed in shorts and a t-shirt for this as well.  Her long red hair was tied back in a pony tail and cascaded down to her mid back.  "Since this isn't a true battle perhaps the first to contain or capture the other wins?"  She didn't really want to beat Elisa to a pulp.  It would be a shame to bruise that mocha skin.

         Elisa smiled up at her mischievously.  "You just want to hold me down don't you?"  The teasing sexuality was a bit of a shock and Demona's jaw dropped just a bit before she pulled her mouth shut again.  "You didn't seem into that last time.  You liked it better when I held you down."

         Demona glared at the human taunting her about that night in the cave.  Yes, she did need to be dominated like that then, but that was the mating need.  It wasn't because she wanted Elisa to hold her like that.  It wasn't because she needed that from the human.  She watched the ex-detective turn away from her and start stretching to prepare for this fight and Demona's eyes remained glued to her for a while before she started her own preparations.

        Once they were on the mat and ready to go Demona became much more focused on the fight.  She would have to be careful, of course if she hadn't had years of practice being careful with this particular human she'd be more concerned about her ability to do this.  Killing Elisa would have put a wedge between her and the clan that would never be healed, and Elisa was a fascinating female.  Demona had realized that early on and she had let Elisa live to see if this human would betray Goliath like she'd been convinced Elisa would.  Elisa could have taught Goliath the one lesson that he refused to learn from Demona's discussions.  Elisa had been in a position to truly get it through to him how evil humans truly were, but to Demona's surprise that wasn't what happened.  The human had showed herself to be far more than the rest of her race, and it was Demona that found herself learning.

         Demona had to shake herself out of her memories when Elisa lunged forward with a fist towards her face.  She ducked the blow and moved to the side with an evil grin.  Elisa was good, but she could see the human left openings she wasn't aware of.  Perhaps now would be the time to teach Elisa about that before the woman went up against someone that really did want to hurt her.  Elisa must be rusty from not working for a few months.  Demona waited for Elisa to move forward with another punch, that was when she was vulnerable, right after a punch missed.  Once the opening appeared Demona moved to exploit it and hit Elisa in the ribs just hard enough to bruise, but not hard enough to do serious damage.

         "You have to watch out for that.  You leave your sides open too much."  Demona spoke as if she were training a hatchling about battle.  She hadn't had to train like that in a thousand years, but practicing with Elisa would help her when it came time to teach Delilah.

         That started the sparring in full effect.  Apparently she'd pissed the human off.  They exchanged blows that for the most part didn't land.  Whenever Elisa moved back to take a break Demona let her, even though there were no breaks in a real battle.  The human wasn't at full strength yet.  The pregnancy must have taken more out of Elisa than Demona realized.  Elisa had always been a pretty good warrior for a human, but she was weaker and a bit sloppy today.  The outfit must be hard for Elisa to adjust to because during every break she took she adjusted the jewelry and smoothed out the loincloth like she was afraid it would flip up and expose her.  Demona felt a small grin creep onto her face at that thought.  

         After a little longer Elisa's hands started to move over her exposed skin to wipe away the sweat of her exertions.  Her hands seemed to caress her stomach and face.  Demona swallowed hard when Elisa's hands moved over the woman's skin.  "I'm definitely going to need a shower after this."  Elisa's voice was just a little husky and Demona felt a blush come to her cheeks as she realized that she was staring at the human's cleavage.

She was too distracted by her own thoughts and one lucky hit actually got Demona in the stomach, Demona growled and swung up to catch Elisa's ribs again.  When Elisa leaned over as if in pain Demona's eyes widened.  "I'm sorry."  She spoke quickly and moved to see how badly she damaged Elisa.  The sudden leg sweep that knocked her to the mat was a shock.  

         Elisa was straddling her instantly with an evil grin on her face.  Demona's shoulders were pushed into the mat.  "I believe I won."  Demona gritted her teeth.  She couldn't believe that she'd lost her concentration that badly.  She stared up into Elisa's face and noticed the dark wet bits of hair that stuck to the human's face.  Her own skin was damp as well from the workout.

         When Elisa moved closer to whisper teasingly Demona noticed her body arching up towards her.  Elisa's soft voice sent a wave of arousal through the gargoyle, "I believe this is me kicking your ass again."  Elisa's lips were so close and Demona found herself aching for the human to close the distance.  Her body tensed up to prepare for it, but Elisa got just a little closer before backing away.  "I'm going to go take a shower."  Elisa got up and then held out a hand to help Demona up.

         Demona took a deep breath and took the offered hand.  "Don't use all the hot water."  She gripped, but right now it wasn't the hot water she was planning on using.

         She stayed in the gym after Elisa left and sat down heavily on a bench.  Dammit, Elisa was seductive.  Did she even know it?  A slight whimper came from her throat as her memory replayed being underneath Elisa's straining form as the human tried to keep her down on the mat.  She was not going to spar with the human again.  Her jaw clenched as she stood up suddenly.  Never again. 

Two Months and One Week After Birth

         Demona had buzzed Elisa in and went out to help the human with Delilah and the bags.  Elisa was late.  Dinner was cold and the gargoyle had been worried.

         The passenger's side front corner of the car was smashed and Elisa looked pale.  "What happened?"  Demona started to move more quickly towards the car.  "Are you and Delilah okay?"

         With a rough voice Elisa spoke quietly.  "A carjacker ran a red light."  Demona studied the way Elisa kept staring in the back window at their daughter and the way she was hugging herself.

         "Let's get inside."  Demona spoke softly trying to soothe the still very tense human.  She moved to unbuckle the car seat and had to pull a blanket off of her daughter to get her out.

         "I had to hide her before the cops came."  Elisa explained quietly.  "I couldn't let anyone see her."  The note of pleading for understanding was a new desperation that she hadn't heard in the ex-detective's voice even when she'd tried to kill her.  Elisa was not handling this well.

         Demona nodded that she understood and with a tension that she worked hard to conceal started to inspect their daughter's stone form for any damage.  She'd never seen Elisa so shook up before and she just needed to be sure that the little girl was okay.  Since the blanket was still over Delilah when she got there Demona felt pretty sure that Elisa hadn't been able to take the time to do this.  It wasn't something she could do on a busy city street with cops circling the car.  Once the inspection was done she looked up to see Elisa looking completely distraught with tears falling down her cheeks.  Demona had only seen Elisa cry once and it clenched her heart more this time than the last.  "She's okay."  Demona told her and the tears started to fall more freely from Elisa's eyes.

         Demona moved around the car and pulled Elisa into a hug.  "She's okay."  She whispered into the black hair while she felt the detective's body shuddering from the horror that had almost happened.  Elisa clung to her tightly seeking comfort and Demona started to caress Elisa's back.  It had to have been so horrible for Elisa to go through pretending to be okay while giving a statement.  It had to be hell for her to pretend she wasn't horrified that her daughter might have been killed and couldn't even go check.  Demona's voice became rough with her own tears.  "I've got you.  It's okay."  God she could have lost both of them today.  She had no doubt that the accident could have been much worse if it weren't for Elisa' s quick thinking behind the wheel.  Hijackers tended to move very quickly through intersections.  She pulled Elisa more tightly to her body and just held her.

         Demona carried Delilah inside, but instead of putting the hatchling in her room she brought her into the kitchen with them.  She just didn't want the girl out of her sight right now.  Elisa set the bag on the dining room table and followed looking exhausted emotionally and her eyes were red.  How far had the human driven while wondering?  She came here when she could have turned around.  She came to Demona when she was in pain.  Elisa still looked like she needed someone to take care of her.

         "I'll reheat dinner."  Demona spoke gently while Elisa sat down at the kitchen island heavily.  She didn't get a response so she started the microwave.

         "My dad died in a car accident."  Elisa spoke quietly and Demona winced while her back was to the human.  That was the other time she'd seen Elisa looking so lost.  She'd been spying on the detective and was shocked to see Elisa sobbing uncontrollably on her couch.

         "But you didn't."  Demona had no idea what to say to Elisa.  She hadn't had to face mortality in a long time.  This was as close as she'd get to it unless MacBeth got lucky.  "Both of you are okay."  That response got nothing but silence.  Demona felt so helpless watching Elisa's pain.  She sighed.  She'd humble herself for this.  Goliath may be a jerk but he wouldn't rub her face in this.  "I could start visiting you.  Perhaps it would be best."  

         Elisa looked up at that moment and Demona could see she wanted to protest, but she glanced over at Delilah and just sighed.  "We could do that.  At least for now."

         Elisa wanted to pretend that this problem would go away and Demona didn't have it in her heart to tell her otherwise.  The human liked coming here.  She didn't like living at the castle with the constant crowds of gargoyles.  "And I could buy you a safer car.  You don't even have airbags in that old thing do you?"  Elisa just shook her head no.  Demona sat down across from her and reached out to cover Elisa's hand with her own.  "Maybe a Volvo or a Saturn.  I hear those are safe."

         "You don't need to buy me…"

         "I want you safe!"  Demona snapped out and regretted it when Elisa flinched at the harsh tone.  She tried to speak more softly.  It was hard to know how to deal with an upset Elisa.  She'd never had to deal with this.  "Are you okay?  Were you injured?"  Demona didn't see any injuries, but that didn't mean there weren't any. 

         "I'm fine."  Elisa looked up into Demona's eyes.  Demona really doubted she was speaking the truth at that moment.  Her body may be fine, but this was too close to the loss she'd faced just a little over a year ago.  If Delilah hadn't been in the car at the time Elisa wouldn't have even bat an eye probably, or she'd have hid her fear more easily.

         "I'm going to get you a safer car."  Demona spoke gently while caressing the hand underneath her own.  "You can pick out whatever color you want."

         "Okay."  Elisa actually agreed.  After the trouble Demona had getting Elisa to take money this quiet acceptance wasn't comforting.  

         "Well, good then."  The microwave went off and Demona retrieved their dinner.  They were going to be skipping Latin lessons tonight.

         Normally on visiting nights Elisa let Demona do most of the holding and playing with Delilah, but tonight they both just laid on the living room floor together while Elisa went through double checking every inch of Delilah's body for injuries.  Any evidence that there was a crack in her stone form that had translated to flesh.  Demona let her even though she knew that if there had been an injury the hatchling would have been screaming in pain.  She'd suffered injuries like that before and they could hurt a lot.  It was confusing to wake from a stone sleep in pain.

         Normally it was Elisa that would reach out and touch Demona while she played with their daughter.  Elisa would sometimes just rest a comforting hand on Demona's arm.  The human wasn't doing that tonight.  She was completely focused on the hatchling and what looked like her own guilt.  Demona reached out to touch Elisa's arm as Elisa caressed white locks of hair.  She didn't say anything, just gave the ex-detective a comforting look and caressed the arm briefly.  It seemed to relax some of the tension in Elisa's shoulders.  Demona had to get Elisa's mind off of this.  It had been close but they were okay.

         "Have you put any more thought into working for me?"  Demona asked while knowing full well Elisa wouldn't accept any job offers.  The human was too noble for her own good.  If she didn't find a job rescuing humans in some way she wouldn't be happy.  

         "Thanks for the offer, but no."  Elisa's voice sounded a bit more like it normally did and Demona almost wanted to grin at her diversionary tactics working.  "Fox has a community service project she talked Xanatos into funding.  She's asked me to help get it rolling."

         That was pretty clever of Fox.  Demona felt a bit irritated at that.  Elisa wouldn't accept handouts, or normal business jobs, but whatever Fox had come up with was probably just created for Elisa's benefit.  That ex-mercenary wasn't all that concerned with community service.  It was probably the first such project Xanatos Enterprises funded.  "What is it?"

         Elisa's eyes gleamed with a sense of purpose.  "There are a lot of homeless people on the streets.  We're setting up a shelter that also provides education so that they are able to work and get themselves off the streets.  We'll also have links to several other community service agencies."

         Elisa wanted to help the homeless humans that lived like rats in whatever cubby hole they could find.  Not exactly what she'd expected from the human, but then not completely unexpected either.

         "We're going to call it the Labyrinth.  The idea is that we will help people navigate the maze of community services so that they can get out of the lives they are in."  Elisa's voice was now completely business.  "Fox is working on getting other backers right now, but once she has enough we'll start trying to get a variety of people on staff and look for a director."

         "You won't be the director?"  

         "It needs to be someone that can work full time."  Elisa glanced down at the squirming hatchling.  "While I want to work, I don't want to be too tired to spend time with her."  Elisa caressed a tiny foot.  Her voice was now softer, "I never expected to be a mother.  I'd wanted kids, but… I just didn't think I'd get one."  

         "You could have had a human child."  Demona spoke softly while her fist clenched up at the thought of that.

         "I suppose I could have."  Elisa stared down at Delilah.  "But she's far more beautiful, and she's special."  Elisa's voice got a bit apologetic.  "She would have been special to me even if she were human…"

         "but you prefer having a gargoyle hatchling."  Demona was a bit surprised at that.  She knew Elisa was different than the other humans, but she would have thought the human would have wanted a child more like herself.

         "Yeah."  Elisa glanced up at her and Demona couldn't read her eyes.  "I wish I could take her to the movies like Fox takes Alexander, but I wouldn't trade her gargoyle nature for anything.  She'll get to glide.  That should make up for missing the latest Disney cartoon at the theater, and I can always rent them later."

         Something in the way Elisa spoke of gliding touched Demona.  "Did you get to glide when you were a gargoyle?"

         Elisa's far away look and smile gave her the answer.  Demona suddenly regretted that being taken away from her.  "It was wonderful, but I'm human."  Elisa stared into Demona's eyes almost defiantly.  "While I loved the feel of wind under my wings, I'll always be human.  I don't want it any other way."

         Demona stared down at their daughter.  For a moment she'd considered trying to find a way to make Puck change Elisa.  It would have made their lives easier.  It would have made caring about Elisa easier.  "Even in my day form, I'm a gargoyle.  The outside doesn't change what I truly am."

         "I know."  Elisa spoke soothingly.  Demona got up to get something to drink.  She was feeling like she needed a little space for a moment.

         They both put Delilah to bed.  This time Demona didn't know what to do about going to bed.  She didn't need to worry about Elisa not staying anymore, because this was the last time.  This was the last time they'd be here instead of the castle.  While Elisa was in the shower Demona got ready for bed.  Elisa was still too shook up to drive, it was just better to not risk changing the human's routine.  Perhaps she'd offer to go with Elisa on the way back, just to make sure Elisa made it back.  She could always catch a cab home.

         Demona knew that Elisa took long showers so she slipped into the bathroom to quickly wash her face and brush her teeth.  The steam from the shower was fogging up the mirror, but Demona could still see Elisa's form in the large shower behind her.  Demona had the shower area enlarged when she bought this home, because there were times that she'd need to spread out her wings.  While she brushed her teeth she took covert glances at the ex-detective's body.  Elisa seemed completely unaware that Demona was there and continued to shampoo her hair with the shampoo that she'd brought and left here.  Demona started to glance around the bathroom counter at other things that were Elisa's.  Elisa left several bathroom things here along with a change of clothes just in case.  Demona had even replaced that shampoo for the human when she noticed it had been getting low.

         She was in bed when Elisa came out and she noticed the surprised look on Elisa's face because she didn't have to round Demona up.  Demona just gave her a slight smile and rolled over to sleep on her side.  Perhaps Elisa wouldn't cuddle up to her if she weren't on her back.

         Demona woke up groggily unsure what had woken her.  She was on her back again and there was a warm presence pressed up against her.  Elisa's sleeping expression was troubled and a soft whimper escaped the human's lips.  Nightmare.  After the day Elisa had yesterday that could be expected.  When Demona tried to slide out of Elisa's grasp Elisa held on to her and the sound of her whimper made it clear she didn't want to be alone.  Demona sighed heavily and stared at the ceiling.  She had no idea what to do now.  At least this time Elisa's thigh wasn't rubbing against her sex.  It wouldn't be as embarrassing if Elisa realized she'd rolled over for comfort.  "Shh… It's okay Elisa."  Demona whispered very quietly to try and sooth her human.  "Everything is okay."

         Once Elisa calmed down Demona just continued to stare at the ceiling holding her and caressing the arm that Elisa had around the redhead.  Her feelings were so jumbled and confused that she didn't know what she was feeling.  Elisa may be a human, but she was Elisa.  Elisa had supported her long before they got together, and continued to do it now.  Did it really matter that she was human?  It wasn't like she was a normal human.  Demona's shifted a little so that she could look into Elisa's face as the ex-detective slept.  A freed hand moved to caress the black locks that were fanned over Demona's body.  The shock hit her profoundly when it dawned on her that… it didn't matter!  The breath caught in Demona's throat as she realized that she couldn't imagine how she would have felt if Elisa had been hurt in that accident.  Even if Delilah hadn't been in the car the idea that she could have lost this human made her heart ache.

         She was getting that new car for Elisa this week.  There would be no delays.  And that job Fox offered had better be safe.  Humans turned on their own far too often, and if those homeless vagrants that Elisa wanted to help hurt her there would be hell to pay!  Demona's eyes hardened as she thought of the threats to HER human.  

         Demona managed to roll out of bed before Elisa woke up.  Her habit of not needing as much sleep helped her avoid the awkwardness of Elisa realizing that she'd let the human sleep cuddled up to her for hours.

         She was reading the newspaper when Elisa came downstairs to eat.  Demona kept her voice casual.  "I was thinking about that project you and Fox are working on."  Demona glanced up subtly, "I could make a contribution to that.  It isn't a bad tax write off."  She would never stoop to helping the vermin that the humans didn't even respect, the lowest of their kind, but money for this project could keep the Labyrinth a safer place for Elisa to be.  Elisa's shocked expression and slowly growing grin also were a good motivator.  

         "I don't know much about the money aspects.  That's really Fox's domain, but I could have her call you."

         "Sure, but have her call me at work."  It would give Demona a chance to carefully EXPLAIN to the ex-mercenary how safe Elisa's job better be.  Demona took another sip of her coffee and let Elisa work on lunch.  

 

Two Months One Week and Three Days after Birth 

         Elisa woke up a little earlier than normal because Demona was going to take the day off of work to take her car shopping.  When Elisa tried to talk Demona out of it the redhead made it clear that Elisa was getting a new car and if she didn't want to pick it out Demona would pick something out for her in a truly horrible color.  She might even put offensive stickers on it as well.  Of course the teasing glint in Demona's eye told Elisa that she was joking about the stickers.

         Fox was in the kitchen when she got there.  Elisa had told Fox about the accident and Demona's reaction, and Fox had been shocked.  Fox had also understood how horrible Elisa had felt getting into an accident with her infant, her tiny helpless stone baby, in the car.

         "So when is your sugar momma coming to get you and lavish you with gifts?"  Fox asked while Elisa was taking a drink of water, resulting in water spraying the counter in front of her.

         "Demona will be by in an hour."  Elisa glared teasingly at Fox while she pulled a paper towel out to clean up after herself.  In her desire to avoid more teasing this early in the day Elisa turned to look at Fox.  "Did you contact her about the donation?"

         Fox tilted her head a little and seemed to be studying Elisa for a moment, no sense of teasing in her eyes.  "Yes, I talked with her about the Labyrinth.  She's going to match David's contributions and we can use that to help with publicity, you know…"  Fox's eyes narrowed a little and Elisa felt like a specimen, "corporate enemies getting into bed together and all that.  People pay attention to things like that.  It'll help get even more donations."

         "Wow, so if Xanatos isn't a cheapskate she could really be shelling out a lot of money."

         Fox's grin was slightly evil, "David has already doubled what he planned to contribute.  He wants to see how much Demona is willing to pay to help the humans of this city."  Fox chuckled.  "With this we could house the homeless in a five star hotel.  David hates to be shown up and Demona doesn't back down from anything."

         Elisa had to laugh at that image, but she was a little concerned about Demona.  She had no idea how much the gargoyle had, and didn't think Demona would back down even if it were financially hurting her.  The gargoyle's pride was larger than the castle.  "Please ask David to not go too overboard."

         The teasing glint in Fox's eyes faded just a bit, "Afraid she'll overdo it trying to impress you?"

         "She isn't trying to impress me."

         "No, she just is really concerned about the welfare of thousands of homeless and wants to help mankind."  Fox's sarcasm was thick.  "She only had a few conditions to this contribution.  One was that you are in no way put in a position to have to hang around _those disgusting humans_.  Her exact words.  She also wants a metal detector for the entrances so that _those disgusting humans_ don't bring weapons in to harm the staff and give us bad publicity, but that really means just one staff member and we both know it.  She wouldn't really care if the rest of the staff got killed."

         Elisa stared at Fox in shock and sat down at the kitchen table.  "She said that?"

         "Yes, your girlfriend is willing to shell out a half a million dollars to make sure you are safe."  Elisa opened her mouth to tell Fox that they weren't together like that, it wasn't true… not yet, but Fox spoke before she could.  "You can't tell me there isn't something going on, there is a half a million dollars worth of something going on." 

         Elisa took a deep breath.  "It's complicated with us."

         "So now you aren't denying there is something."  Fox sat down across from Elisa and her voice softened.  "I knew, I was just waiting to hear it."

         "She does such thoughtful things for me.  She gets this look on her face when she thinks I'm in trouble or upset that just screams she wants to slay all my dragons, but she never says anything."  Elisa slumped down in her chair.  She finally had someone to talk to about this.  She could have talked with Fox sooner, but she wasn't sure about Demona's feelings and didn't want to admit to anything and then find out there weren't any.  The phone call Demona had with Fox obviously indicated that there were.  Elisa's heart was pounding like it would in high school when she thought the object of her affections noticed her, only it was ten times more intense.  Her face held a happiness that wasn't about the money that Demona was willing to spend, but about the feelings that inspired the spending of that money.  

         "You're in love."  Fox had the class to not tease Elisa at that moment.  

         "Yes."  Elisa felt a nervous flutter in her stomach at admitting that out loud.  

         "Have you told her?"  Fox's sympathy showed what a good friend Elisa had.  She felt so lucky to have a friend that didn't think she was crazy for wanting this.

         "No, it isn't that easy with her."  Elisa sighed.  "I hint, I tease, but she needs to decide if she wants to be with a human.  We both know how she might feel about that."

         Fox gave Elisa a soft smile, "I think after that talk I had with Demona, that she may very well be willing to overlook it in your case, but the rest of humanity could crash and burn."

         Elisa smiled while staring down into her glass.  It was progress, and she didn't really expect Demona to suddenly put aside her hatred.  That hatred and distrust was well founded and it wouldn't go away, but Elisa found that she could accept that as long as Demona wasn't trying to kill off mankind, and the gargoyle didn't seem like she was thinking of doing that anytime soon.  

         "Well."  Fox's voice rose, "You put out once and you get over a half million dollars and a new car.  Really makes me wish you'd at least tried to seduce me."  Fox wiped an imaginary tear away, "I've got money too you know.  Perhaps I could buy you Canada if you rock my world."

         Elisa grinned mischievously, "Honey, you aren't immortal.  Your poor heart couldn't take my lovin'."

         "Oh,"  Fox's mouth opened as she stared in mock outrage.  "You dare mock my stamina?!  That's it, right here on the table.  I'll show you."

         "Fox how many times do I have to tell you not to have sex with other people on the kitchen table.  I have to eat off of that thing."  David's deep voice was teasing and Elisa's face felt hot with her blush at having been caught teasing by someone she knew.  He winked at her while moving to the fridge for a drink.

         "Well, David if you insist on spending so much time with Owen I need to get satisfaction from somewhere."  Fox's grin was evil and Elisa found herself just watching the couple's verbal sparring.  It seemed friendly, but there was an undercurrent of true irritation in Fox's voice that made Elisa wish she wasn't there at that moment.

         "Well, I need to get ready to go."  Elisa stood up feeling very awkward and left the two lovebirds.  Hopefully Xanatos realized there was trouble in paradise before it got too bad.  

         It took hours to get a car.  Elisa found her eyes traveling to the more interesting and faster looking vehicles, but that wasn't why she was here.  When she started being able to drive Delilah around again, she wanted it to be as safe a car as possible.  That was why she was in this Volvo now.  It had a great safety record and she'd forgive its appearance if it was able to keep her baby safe.

         Demona was in the car with her.  Shopping with the rich female had been an experience.  Demona put the car salesmen in their place quickly and managed to keep the negotiation tactics down as well just by her angry glare.  Even in the human form that redhead could scare humans.

         Demona had more than enough money to pay their asking price, but she'd brought the price down viciously.  It was a battle of sorts and Elisa could tell Demona liked it.  She liked winning.  The amused smile on Demona's lips as they left in the new car was so cute.

         The normal relaxed way they interacted ended suddenly when they pulled into the parking lot at the Eyrie.  It was like Elisa could feel herself being shut out.  As they got out of the car it hurt to see the warrior in Demona's eyes.  She hadn't seen that in a while and didn't miss the way the gargoyle used to constantly watch her back.  It did however make it clear to Elisa how much Demona trusted Elisa with her real self as the arrogant attitude and stance of the redhead seemed to fill up the elevator on the way up.

         "Ms. Destine."  Owen just nodded to them both as they past him in the hall on the way to Elisa's rooms.  Demona glared at him and didn't say anything while Elisa opened the door.

         Once they were alone Elisa stared at the tense back of the woman she'd come to love.  This wasn't going to work.  Just being here seemed to upset Demona.  She kept her voice soft.  "Do you want to see Delilah's nursery?"  When in doubt talk about the baby.  It had worked so far.

         And it worked this time.  Some of the tension left the redhead as she followed Elisa into the room to look around.  "Elephants?"  Demona asked as she glanced around at the various posters and knick-knacks Elisa had bought for the room.  Elisa had an elephant theme going on, because what kid didn't like elephants?  Elisa looked up to see a small hint of a smile on Demona's lips and found her own smile starting.

         "Hey, their elephants, what more needs to be said."

         Demona walked over to the bookshelf and was glancing at the collection of Dr. Suess that Elisa had along with a few older looking books.  The redhead picked up a worn looking book and opened it up to the first page.  It had a scrawled Elisa in red crayon.  Elisa had put it there shortly after she'd learned to write her name because Derek was always taking her things.  Elisa was the oldest and was getting tired of sharing at that time.

         "We never had much in the way of toys."  Demona put the book back on the shelf.  "We had sticks we pretended were swords, but no real toys."  Demona moved to look at the view out the window of the nursery.  "We would play at battles and tag."  The sad smile on Demona's face made Elisa move closer and reach out to touch the hand resting on the window ledge.  "I was one of the fastest hatchlings, only a few of my brothers and sisters could keep up with me."  Demona let her hold her hand and sighed.  "The humans moved in when I was what you would think of as a teenager.  I watched them build this castle and then they started to act like it was their home and we weren't welcome.  We'd been living there long before them.  It was where I grew up.  They tore down the trees that I had played in as a hatchling, they dug up the ground and drove the game we relied on further away.  They completely changed everything."

         Elisa could feel the pain in Demona as she remembered old hurts.  It sounded so much like how she'd felt about Derek when he was born that it was clearly a young Demona that had felt this pain.  The humans of the castle had invaded Demona's home and changed it, and that was probably where Demona's anger started.  It all started with that and just grew.

         After some silence Demona seemed to straighten up.  "Well, we should get to work on your Latin."

         Shortly before sunset Demona went to the bathroom to change her clothes.  Elisa was getting more and more tense as the time passed.  She'd informed Goliath that Demona would be here today.  He didn't suggest guards and he'd completely understood why they made this change, but Elisa was still worried that something would go wrong.

         An hour after sunset the normal knock on the door happened even though the clan knew she had company.  Elisa almost growled her frustration as Demona tensed up and her warrior mask slide back into place.

         "Elisa."  Goliath's voice was soft when she opened the door.

         "I'm a bit busy right now."  Elisa glanced back meaningfully before looking at him.  

         "I just wanted to drop by and see how things were going."

         Demona walked up behind Elisa and rested a hand on Elisa's shoulder while glaring at him.  "We are doing just fine."  Demona answered for Elisa and the tension between the two gargoyles could actually be felt in the air.

         Goliath seemed to recoil a little from whatever he saw in Demona's eyes, but Elisa couldn't see the female behind her.  "Oh, well that is fine then."  His eyes traveled to his ex, "You are welcome to visit here, but I ask that you don't walk about."

         "So I'm confined to Elisa's rooms?"  Demona's voice held a bit of a growl and Elisa reached up to place her hand over the one on her shoulder.  Goliath's eyes seemed drawn to that and he just stared.

         "Thanks for checking on us Goliath, but I have to go."  Elisa spoke quickly while apologizing with her eyes.  She closed the door when he nodded, and he looked more deflated than he had before, when Elisa had tried to nicely tell him that Demona was right in that Elisa didn't have those type of feelings for him.  He knew who really had her heart.  Elisa hadn't had to say that.

         "Did you want something to drink?"  Elisa asked softly when she turned around and Demona was still standing close to her.  The female's eyes were burning red and Elisa just wanted to diffuse her anger quickly.

         A half hour later another knock on the door actually made Demona growl.  "They drop by to visit you all the time don't they?"  Demona snapped out obviously irritated with the interruptions.

         When she opened the door this time it was Brooklyn standing there, looking a little angry as he glared over Elisa's shoulder to verify that Demona was indeed in the castle.  "I heard she was here!"  

         "Brooklyn don't do this."  Elisa glared at him as his eyes started to burn.

         "It's bad enough you slept with her, but to bring her here…"

         "Why you arrogant pup!"  Demona's growl filled the room and Delilah started to cry.  Elisa stood in the doorway with a strong hold on the door blocking his entrance.

         "If you think you are going to start a fight with her here…" Elisa growled, angry that her hatchling was crying and his insulting attitude didn't help his cause, "I will rip you a new one."  He was acting like he used to and he might actually try to fight Demona with Delilah in the room.  Elisa glared into his eyes and bared her teeth.

         "Brooklyn!"  A deep growl echoed in the hall as Goliath swept towards them.  "Leave Elisa and Demona alone!  Demona is Elisa's guest and you will respect that!"

         "But she'll…"

         "ENOUGH!"  Goliath reached them and put a strong hand on Brooklyn's shoulder.  "Demona is Elisa's guest.  You will leave them alone.  That is an order."

         "I'm sorry about this."  Goliath spoke quietly, "There will be no other visitors tonight."  Elisa just nodded, but she felt shaken having to stand up to Brooklyn like that hurt.  She needed this place to be a safe place for Demona to visit and it wasn't.  She closed the door and turned to see Demona's red eyes glaring at the door while she gently rocked their child in her arms.

         "Well, I guess that could have gone worse."  Elisa sighed as she moved further into the room to caress Delilah's hair.  The hatchling had stopped crying.

         "He always was a bit of a hothead."  Demona moved to sit back down but her body was tense and the comfortable feeling between them was broken.  The rest of the night was full of meaningless talk and no real sharing or emotions.  Even the tender touches that Elisa had managed to get Demona used to didn't happen, because the gargoyle tensed up to her touch like she had in the beginning, and Elisa didn't have the heart to make Demona more tense than she obviously already was.  Demona even left before sunrise so that she could glide home and Elisa had to go to bed alone.


	10. Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself

Something To Tell You:  

Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself

By Luna Wyrd 

Sequel to:  Alls Fair in Love and War.  

**Alternate Universe Fiction** Two Months Three Weeks after Birth 

            Elisa watched the night sky as Demona once again left early, this time it was the feeling of not being free to roam about, feeling trapped, that sent her fleeing.  She didn't have to say it outright.  The story about the off limits parts of the castle during Princess Katherine's reign let Elisa know what the issues were.  Demona felt like a criminal here, and even though technically she was one, the clan could have spared her feeling like that while visiting.  Instead Elisa found that the clan walked past her rooms far more often than normal and not nearly as quietly.  They wanted Demona to know they were there, and it was probably just the males that were so overprotective, but it had ruined yet another visit.  The visits were down to twice a week if that and all of the closeness was disappearing.  Elisa was really afraid she was losing Demona before she even really had her.

            The knock on the door was quiet, almost timid.  Elisa just shook her head and went to answer it and let whatever gargoyle didn't trust Demona alone with her know that she'd gone.  It was Angela standing there in front of her without speaking.  Angela was just staring at her quietly.  "What do you need?"  Elisa asked wearily while rubbing her forehead.  

            "Can I come in?"  Angela asked and Elisa just held the door open wider so that she could.  "Mother left already."  Angela wasn't asking, she already knew.

            "Yeah."  Elisa sighed.  "This place feels like a great big prison complete with prison guards patrolling my hallway every twenty minutes."  Her voice was harsh as she vented her frustration on the only gargoyle completely innocent of wrong doing.  "It's no wonder she doesn't want to stay."

            "I know."  Angela spoke softly drawing Elisa eyes up to actually look at the young female.  "They are being ridiculous."  Angela moved to sit down on the couch and patted the seat beside her to encourage Elisa to sit as well.  "How are you doing?  You haven't been yourself lately, and we are all getting worried."

            "I'm fine."  Elisa glared out the window towards the direction that Demona had fled.  Angela's eyes followed her gaze for a moment before turning back to her.

            "No, you aren't."  Angela wasn't going to back down, "You snap at us, you seem both angry and depressed, and it isn't like you at all."

            Elisa felt a wave of guilt at being so difficult to live with.  She just felt so trapped here.  This place did feel like a prison to her and she missed Demona.  Even when the gargoyle was in the room with her, she wasn't the woman Elisa had fallen for.  Her warrior mask rarely slipped while they were here.

            "I love you Elisa.  You are my clan."  Angela moved forward to take one of Elisa's hands in her own.  "Something is really bothering you and I want you to know that I care and I want to be there for you."

            Elisa gave Angela a small smile and stared down at the female's hand over her own.  "I'm afraid of driving Delilah to the mansion, but… the visits here just aren't working."

            "How aren't they working?"

            "She doesn't come early anymore and she leaves well before the sunrise."  Elisa sighed.  "And when she's here, she's so tense and ready for battle."

            "You've driven around the city for years."  Angela's eyes held sympathy.  "It was one scare, but you could try again.  The car mother got you is better."

            "I can't drive her back and forth so much."  Elisa swallowed hard.  She really wanted things to return to the way they'd been before.  

            Angela tugged on her hand lightly until Elisa looked into her face.  "You don't have to."  Angela's face was very serious.  "You only need to drive her over there once."

            Elisa leaned back in her seat and stared at Angela with wide eyes as that comment hit her.  "What?"

            "I'm not blind.  I've seen how you two interact."  Angela sounded so very adult in that moment.  "You are miserable here, you are miserable without her and father walking around in his own depression isn't helping."  Angela scooted closer, "You are in love with one of my parents, and you need to move closer to that one."

            Elisa moved to get up and started pacing, "It's not that easy."

            "Why?"  Angela's tone was matter of fact and clearly sounded like no excuse would be good enough.

            "Well for starters we aren't together."  Elisa snapped at Angela hating to bring this up.  

            "And why is that?"  Angela just wasn't dropping it.  "It's not because you don't love her, because I've seen the looks you give her."

            Elisa growled out her frustration.  "You just don't move in when you haven't even made love in a year!"

            Angela tilted her head a little and Elisa felt like she was being carefully studied.  "Well then don't move in.  Go for an extended visit.  Drive over for the weekend and get out of this castle.  One drive and stay a few days."  Angela leaned forward in her seat and her eyes burned.  "My mother loves you.  Don't give up now, not when the battle is almost won."

            "I'm not giving up."  Elisa looked away as she admitted that she was in fact after Demona.  "But she's so uncomfortable here, I'm just giving her space until she gets used to it."

            "This castle is the problem."  Angela got up from the couch and walked over to Elisa.  "The clan thinks they are doing the right thing, but they are the problem too.  Father is too wrapped up in the fact that he lost you to notice the unofficial patrols past your door when she's here.  He wouldn't approve.  It tears him apart, but he'll support whatever you want."

            Elisa's voice cracked, "I didn't want to hurt him."

            "He knows that."  Angela pulled Elisa into a hug and Elisa let her.  "We all know that.  You can't help who you fall in love with.  Father wouldn't blame you for that.  I think you would be so good for her.  I just want you both happy."

            "Maybe I can do a long weekend.  We need to get out of here, even for just a little while.  I feel like I'm in a cage."  Elisa's voice was soft, but she was starting to feel a little better just thinking about it.

            "Good."  Angela pulled back.  "It's almost dawn.  I need to go.  Oh, and if you do move, don't tell the clan it was my idea."  Elisa walked her to the door and smiled at the female as she left.  Fox walked by in her robe with glass in hand and Elisa just smiled at her sleepy friend as she passed by, not noticing the nod Angela gave Fox or the answering half smile and nod Fox returned.

            Elisa went back in and pulled out the car seat while taking a deep breath.  Her heart pounded a bit too quickly as she strapped a sleepy hatchling in so that Delilah was ready for a drive tomorrow.  Her fear of driving Delilah around was costing too much, and that had been the only accident Elisa had been in for years.  They could do this.

            During her late breakfast Elisa sat alone, until Fox came in to sit quietly with her for a moment.  "David just cancelled another date."  Fox growled out.  "The great corporate machine apparently can't run itself for a single night so that we can go out."

            Elisa didn't know what to say.  He was really screwing up taking business appointments during the time he could be with Fox.  Fox's eyes seemed to burn with her irritation, and she wasn't a woman that anyone would really want mad at them.  Fox turned to stare at Elisa.  "Demona used to completely miss work to be with you, didn't she?"

            "Ah.."  Elisa felt like she was suddenly in the spot light and it wasn't a comfortable feeling.  Demona did put her and Delilah first, but saying that now wouldn't really help Fox feel better.

            "Nevermind."  Fox grimaced, "That was an unfair question.  I'm sorry."

            "Fox?"  David's voice was calling out and he was obviously trying to find the redhead that just glared at the fridge and didn't answer him.  He found her anyway and Elisa wished she'd learned one spell from Demona, one that could turn her invisible or teleport her out of the room without being noticed.  Of course neither combatants noticed her anyway.  "Fox, you didn't let me explain."

            "What with promising me another night that you can cancel the day before?"  Fox snapped at him, her blue eyes burning into him.

            "No, I'm working overtime so that we can go away."  His voice didn't become desperate, he just explained himself steadily while moving closer to squat down beside Fox's chair.  "I thought we could take a vacation, just the two of us.  I just need to tie up some lose ends and we can go.  Owen will look after Alexander."

            Fox's tension started to melt as she allowed her husband to take her hand.  "I love you more now than ever.  I'm sorry if you thought that I was trying to brush you off."  He spoke softly to Fox and smiled gently at her.  "I was going to talk to you about it, but you checked my calendar first.  If you'd flipped the page you would have seen I took a week off to be with you."

            "Oh David."  Fox sighed, obviously completely happy with that as she pulled him into a hug.  Elisa quietly released a breath she'd been holding as they both left together.

            Elisa was tense and just a bit pale as she drove past the intersection where she'd been in the accident last time but she kept driving.  Once she was halfway to Demona's mansion she pulled over for a moment and pulled out her cell phone.  It wouldn't do to visit and have Demona be working late, but the gargoyle wouldn't let Elisa risk it knowing how nervous it made her.  She had to be almost there before telling her about the visit or Demona would demand she not come.

            "I'm about a half hour away from the mansion."  Elisa told Demona as soon as she answered.  "Just making sure you are actually going to be home."

            "What?"  Demona sounded completely confused.  "But…"

            "We needed to visit you."

            "I'll be there."  Demona's voice was suddenly very business like and determined.

            "Good."  Elisa sighed.  Just a little further.  She could do this.  She hung up and carefully pulled out onto the road again.  She glanced back at the blanket covering her little girl.

            She felt like she'd run the entire trip when she finally was able to shut the car off in front of the mansion.  She just sat there and took a deep breath.  "Well we made it baby."  She called back to Delilah's stone form.

            Demona was out the door just moments after Elisa stopped the car.  Elisa hadn't even started to get out of the car yet, so Demona moved around to the driver's side door and opened it.

            "What were you thinking?"  Demona demanded immediately.

            Elisa didn't answer right away.  She got out of the car and turned to face Demona.  "That you'd like to see her when you weren't convinced the clan would break down the door and attack you."  She'd leave out how much Elisa missed the real Demona for now. 

            They had all three moved to the kitchen and Elisa set Delilah down on the kitchen island.  Here was another tense situation.  "I was planning on staying all weekend."  Elisa spoke quietly while watching Demona's back tense up at her presumption.  The redhead might actually have plans for the weekend.  "I can't do that drive very often."  Elisa's own fear showed through her words in the way her voice shook just a little.  She regularly used to get guns and bazookas aimed at her.  Elisa went up against creatures far stronger than her on a regular basis, both human and not, but driving Delilah around scared her more than facing Demona on the battle field ever did.  Then it had just been her own life, and maybe she really didn't believe she was mortal or that Demona would hurt her, but now she was responsible for someone else and her courage had left her.

            Demona turned to look at her and Elisa could see the redhead softening.  "That would be fine."  She then resumed her inspection of the cupboards, which Elisa could see were looking rather bare.  "I don't have anything for dinner.  I wasn't expecting…"

            "I'm sorry."

            "No.  I'm glad you came."  It was the softest Demona had spoken to Elisa since they stopped visiting here and it made Elisa feel a bit better about her decision.

            Elisa took the glass of juice Demona offered her.  "I'm going to have to order something to eat.  I was planning on dealing with ordering groceries tonight."

            Once Demona got off the phone after ordering dinner to be delivered her eyes became more studying.  Elisa could tell Demona wanted to talk about Elisa's decision to visit for so long because if it had been the other way around she knew she'd have questions.

            "Did something happen?"  The redhead tensed up a bit more, "Is the clan giving you a hard time about having me over?"

            "No."  Elisa answered quickly but when Demona just stared at her unconvinced she added, "Well, not in so many words, but Brooklyn is still not thrilled with it."  Elisa sighed.  "I just needed to get out of that place."  She rubbed her forehead at the slight headache she had from the drive and slumped in her seat a little.  "God I hate it there.  I knew I wouldn't like it, but I had no idea how much…"  She just trailed off and took a sip of the drink.  "I'm used to living alone.  I love them, but they are ALWAYS there.  They have no concept of privacy or needing time to yourself.  I feel like I have to beat it into them that I don't want them dropping by just to make sure I'm okay on the days I want to be alone."  Elisa's voice took on a hint of a growl.  "They are constantly checking on me, like I'm some sort of child that can't take care of herself."

            "Well."  Demona sat down across from her.  "Gargoyles aren't used to privacy.  They never had a room of their own and as a clan we tended to do most things together."  The look of sympathy in Demona's eyes kept Elisa from grumbling.  Her temper had been running a bit hot lately.  "It will take a long time to get them used to the idea that someone would even want that on a regular basis."  Demona sighed heavily, "I remember having to sneak away if I wanted to be alone.  It wasn't considered healthy to want time to think alone."  Elisa studied Demona's eyes at that admission that she'd always been a bit different from the others.  Wanting some time alone wasn't unhealthy, but being forced to be alone for a thousand years sure was.

            "So you're saying it's cultural."  Elisa sighed.  She'd pretty much suspected that when she got such blank looks when she told them she wanted to spend a quiet night alone with Delilah.  The clan was baffled.  They did what she asked for the most part, but they really didn't look like they understood.

            "You don't crowd me like that."  Elisa spoke softly while thinking of the fact that even when they were in the same room, Demona had a way of giving Elisa privacy to just be and not have to visit.  Those times were very comfortable.

            "I'm not like the others."  Demona sighed.  "I've had a long time alone, and I've had a long time to watch how humans interact."

            "That's how you were able to become Dominique so easily."  Elisa gave Demona a slight smile.  

            "No, it wasn't easy."  Demona sighed.  "But I managed."  Demona moved to the car seat with Delilah in it.  "I need to change my clothes.  Business suits aren't comfortable.  I'll take her upstairs."

            Elisa just watched Demona walk away.  Demona really wasn't like the others, and it wasn't just her hatred and anger.  It also wasn't the immortality.  Demona just made more sense to Elisa than the others did.  She could talk to Demona and those cultural differences didn't get in the way, and while Elisa hated to admit it she could understand Demona's attitude towards humans a lot better now that she had a hatchling.  As a cop she did get to see firsthand the worst the humans could do, and there were many cops that ended up hating humans as well.  She hadn't gone that far, but her overall faith in the race had been shaken a few too many times.  It was her that preached caution to the clan and tried to keep them as hidden as possible from humans because in the beginning they seemed so naïve about the dangers.

********

            Demona opened the door of the nursery for the first time since Delilah left.  It had just been too painful a reminder when she thought her daughter wouldn't be coming back here until she could glide that far.

            Elisa had managed to do it again.  She'd surprised Demona.  The detective had an entire clan, and she preferred to be with Demona.  She'd been pale and obviously exhausted after that drive, but she'd done that to come here either because she was that miserable at the castle, missed Demona that much, or both.  

            "What am I going to do?"  Demona sat down beside the crib to ask her stone daughter.  Elisa was unhappy, and Demona hated that.  She sighed heavily and got up to go change.  She needed time to think about this one.  The clan didn't listen to her, and she wasn't sure she could explain it so that they understood that humans just needed more space.  Demona frowned.  Would Elisa take offense at Demona stepping in like that?  She didn't want to make the human think she couldn't talk to Demona about her problems without Demona spreading them around either.  She wanted Elisa to trust her.  Dammit, she couldn't do anything.  She couldn't stop the clan from harassing her human.

            "She'll just have to spend more time here."  Demona spoke softly to herself while pulling on some more comfortable clothes.  A slight smile graced her lips at that thought.  She may not like constant company like other gargoyles, but some company would definitely be nice.  Perhaps Elisa and Delilah should stay every weekend.  Demona started towards the stairs as she thought about it.  She could even take every Monday or Friday off so that they had more time.

            The visit was so relaxing Demona didn't want the night to end.  She could just focus on Delilah and Elisa and didn't have to listen for any potential attacks.  Elisa started to caress her arm without even seeming to be aware of it while Demona held their daughter and it felt nice, right.  Elisa was the only person that touched Demona like this.  Gentle caring touches that spoke of love.  Demona stared down at the daughter they'd made together and tried to think of what she should say.  She wanted to say something, to make it clear to Elisa that… 

            "I need to use the bathroom."  Demona handed the hatchling over and left quickly.  She felt just a little sick and was sure she was becoming pale.  She didn't want Elisa asking what was wrong.  She'd come to the conclusion that it was okay to love Elisa even though she was human, so why was the idea of telling her human that so terrifying?  If she didn't say something Elisa might give up and seek love elsewhere.  Demona knew that Goliath was probably just waiting for his chance to steal Demona's mate.

            Demona became more tense as the night progressed to nearly sunrise.  Elisa went to start her shower a little earlier than normal.  The human was very tired.  Demona put Delilah to bed in the crib rather than the car seat and smiled as the little one grabbed onto her talon.  "You're going to be a strong little warrior aren't you?"  Demona spoke softly, while paying close attention to the sun.  She'd be clear of the little girl before she turned stone.  It wouldn't do to be trapped in a tiny stone hand.  

            After the sun rose Demona continued to sit in the nursery, feeling unsure of what to do.  She looked up when she heard the nursery door open a bit wider and Elisa was dressed in her silk pajamas smiling at her.  "Bathrooms free."

            "Thanks."  Demona got up and moved to get ready for bed quietly.  When she was done Elisa was already in bed.  She slipped into her side of the bed and turned out the lights.

            Demona had their meal ready when Elisa woke up and came downstairs.  She really had no idea what they'd do today.  Studying Latin could only take up so long, and Demona really didn't want to spend the entire day teaching any more than she thought Elisa wanted to spend the day learning.  

            Elisa was starting to put the dishes in the dishwasher when there was a buzz at the gate.  Elisa looked around and Demona realized that Elisa had never heard it before.  "Groceries are probably here.  I'll go check." 

            The delivery driver came in and set the groceries on the kitchen island and left.  Demona made sure that he was the only one in the van and that no other humans were using this distraction to get in.  Elisa was left to watch out for that human while Demona manned the security camera booth and then turned the defense grid on as soon as he was out the gate again.  That was more tense than normal.  That human was in the house her hatchling was in and Demona had gone into battle mode without even thinking about it.

            When she got back to the kitchen Elisa was working on putting the groceries away.  "This is great!  I hate grocery shopping."  Elisa smiled at her and the tension of having that male in the house started to melt.

            "I told you that you should do it this way."

            "Well."  Some of Elisa's enthusiasm faded.  "I don't do the shopping anymore."  Demona moved to help with the bags, but she was puzzled as to why that would upset Elisa when she obviously didn't like doing it anyhow.

            Demona was still trying to think of what to do with Elisa today when it dawned on her that if Elisa was going to be staying here more she should understand the security system and be able to operate it.  If something ever happened to Demona in the middle of an emergency the human shouldn't be left to just fend for herself when the mansion itself could become a virtual weapon.

            A half hour later Demona led Elisa into the control center of the security system.  There were various access panels throughout the mansion, but this was the best place to be to show Elisa the extent of the system and how it worked.  She'd show her the access panels afterwards.  The door from the outside looked like a closet door but it was actually steel reinforced.  Computer monitors lined one wall of the twelve by twelve room that was hidden in the mansion.  Elisa looked at the system with a practiced eye and Demona felt a smile tug at her lips.

            "We have lasers covering the air and the ground.  There are motion detectors, heat detectors, and even anti missile technology."  Demona moved into the room to sit at the main console with Elisa standing behind her.  "I use some of the project prototypes NightStone is contracted to build for the military to keep this mansion secure."  Demona glanced at the human studying the views of the gates and various parts of the yard.  "You and Delilah are completely safe here.  Nothing short of a full military attack will get through these defenses and if that happened I do have escape routes.  I'll show them to you."

            "It's like Fort Knox."  Elisa seemed a bit overwhelmed by the security.

            Demona stared into Elisa's eyes until the human looked at her.  "I upgraded when you gave me visitation rights with Delilah.  A lot of these toys are new."  She wanted Elisa to understand that this wasn't a system to protect Demona's things, it was much more than that.  She looked back to the main computers and her voice became a bit less serious.  "It can run on automatic or manual and isn't tied into the power so if someone actually thinks to shut down our power we aren't defenseless.  There is a power source for this in the basement."  Demona scooted over a little and motioned to the chair on the other side of the room in front of the other set of monitors.  "Grab a chair.  I'm going to teach you how to use this."

            It was a complex system.  They spent most of the day going over how it worked and still hadn't touched on all the capabilities.  Elisa asked very good questions and wanted to understand everything about a system before moving on to the next.  They stopped after six hours to go have dinner.

            Demona peeled potatoes quietly as she thought about the fact that she'd just handed over all the mansions defenses to a human, and didn't worry about Elisa betraying her.  It was an uncomfortable feeling and part of her wanted to keep some parts of the system a secret just in case, but she couldn't imagine a scenario where Elisa would turn on her.  She'd stopped her vendetta against the whole human race, at least for while Elisa was alive, so the battles with the clan should stop.

            "I also have magical protections."  Demona sighed as she shared that last secret.  "It does nothing against the Fey, I still can't find a spell to keep them away, but I had to put those in because MacBeth has been picking up a few spells over the years."

            "How are things going with him right now?"  Elisa moved away from the stove and rested a hand on Demona's arm.  "Is he being a problem?"

            Demona turned to see real concern in Elisa's eyes.  "He seems to be out of his depression for now.  The job at the university is going well for him.  I keep track of him now, since he's living in the same city.  It's just better to know when he might want to attack again."

            "I doubt you just call him up to make sure he's having a good day."

            "No, I've got spies.  Spies that take history as a major on my bill and spies that live in a home near his that I pay for, they shop at the same stores and run into him often."  The look of concern merged with one of surprise and disapproval at the invasion of privacy.  Demona rolled her eyes.  "My mail clerk is one of his.  I'm sure he has a few others."

            "You know who MacBeth has as a spy and you didn't fire him?"           

            "It gives me an edge to know who they are.  If I get rid of one he'll just replace him with someone else that might be better at it."  Demona gave a small smile.  The spy game MacBeth and her were playing now was different from what they did in the past.  Change was sometimes good.  Spies meant that she wasn't expecting a bullet in the heart anytime soon.  The Mail Clerk was someone Demona could feed information that she wanted MacBeth to get and she enjoyed taunting that old fool MacBeth with her position and her money.  What she'd taken from him had grown so very much under her care.

            Elisa returned to stirring, but she looked troubled.  Demona finished the last potato and moved closer.  "If anything happens to me I've made sure that you are taken care of."  She spoke softly.  This was just a fact of life for Demona, not something that she'd chosen, just something she had to endure.  Some day MacBeth would kill her.  Not anytime soon if Demona had anything to do with it, but it would happen some day.

            "I'd rather Delilah know her mother."  Elisa grimaced without looking over at Demona.  "I hate the spy games, but you have to do that don't you?"

            "I have more to lose now than I ever did."  Demona leaned against the counter and stared at the woman that stopped to stare at her.  "I have no desire to die anytime soon.  It's just better to be prepared."

            "I understand."  Elisa gave her a weak smile, but Demona could see she'd upset the human.  Someone would miss her if she died.  Demona swallowed hard and looked away.

            "Elisa, I…"  Demona's heart was pounding like she was in the middle of a battle.  She wanted to tell her… "Don't know what vegetable you like.  Perhaps you should pick one out."

            Dinner was relatively quiet, aside from various questions about the security system.  After they ate they went back to work on it.  Demona wanted Elisa to know this system just as well as Demona did.  She may need it some day, and if MacBeth did get lucky, Elisa was going to inherit this mansion.  Demona would call her lawyers Monday to arrange for that.  She'd added Elisa to her useless will after the, well, after the cave, but Elisa would need more than money.  She'd make sure Elisa took care of Angela as well.  Gargoyles couldn't inherit anything directly, but Elisa wouldn't ignore that Demona has a responsibility to both of her daughters.

            Why was she suddenly thinking about death?

******** 

            Elisa was laying on her side while playing with the baby on the living room floor.  Delilah giggled when Elisa made faces at her and tickled her.  A movement out of the corner of her eye had Elisa turning to look up at Demona standing in the doorway to the kitchen just watching them.  The warrior's mask was completely down and the blue female was smiling tenderly at them.  Something about Demona's eyes made Elisa blush at having been caught making a fool out of herself for the hatchling.  Something about Demona was so intense tonight, like there was something she wanted to talk about but just didn't.

            "You gonna stand there all night?"  Elisa smiled flirtatiously.  

            Demona moved to sit beside them and Elisa was surprised when the gargoyle reached out to caress Elisa's hair.  Elisa's heart started to beat faster when she looked into Demona's eyes and saw something she occasionally only got glimpses of.  "You should be careful letting her play with your hair.  She could be strong enough to rip out a huge section of it."  Demona spoke quietly while continuing to fix the mess Delilah had made of her mother's hair.

            When Demona moved her attention to Delilah Elisa continued to stare at her.  Was that love she saw or did she want to see it so badly that she misinterpreted a friendly gesture?  Elisa tore her eyes away from the beautiful female and stared at Delilah so that Demona wouldn't know where her thoughts were taking her.

            She needed to know.  Elisa sighed and stared at Delilah's wiggling feet, completely missing the look of concern on Demona's face when the gargoyle looked at her.  Elisa felt like her emotions were a yo-yo, making her think she had the female one moment and then convincing herself that they were just good friends the next.  

            When she'd sparred with Demona Elisa had been convinced that Demona wanted her, but the female did nothing even though Elisa was being blatant in her hints that she'd welcome any advances.  Elisa did everything she could to let Demona know she wanted more at that moment.  She'd used every trick she'd ever heard of to try and get a rise out of Demona and there were times that it looked like it had worked, but Demona did nothing.

            Elisa looked over at Demona while the gargoyle picked up their daughter so that Delilah's wings could flutter free and gently lifted and lowered the little girl as if she were gliding.  God, this was exactly what Elisa had wanted for Delilah.  Demona was so very good with their child.  Demona glanced at her and smiled, so Elisa gave the female a small smile back.  

            Elisa only knew of one other person that had ever been with Demona.  Maybe Demona didn't know as much about human interactions that she claimed to.  Maybe Elisa wasn't obvious enough for her to catch the hints that Elisa thought she was hitting Demona over the head with.  Things were different for gargoyles, but they'd already gone through those rituals and still Demona didn't seem to acknowledge this tension between them.  Elisa's jaw clenched as the challenge became more difficult.  She wasn't giving up, and Demona had to be the one to initiate things or the female might always feel like the _human had taken advantage of her.  "These pants are a bit too tight to lay around on the floor."  Elisa got up from the floor.  "I'm going to go change."_

            "Ah, okay."  Demona sounded a little confused.  Elisa didn't blame her.  They always sat on the floor and Elisa never mentioned a problem doing that before.  Elisa went upstairs with a determination that normally was reserved for battles.  She was probably going to feel ridiculous, but she was going to up the obvious factor.  Elisa was going to make it so painfully obvious that she would welcome an advance that even that single minded female playing with their daughter would get the hint.  Delilah was too young to remember how much of a fool her mommy was going to make of herself tonight.  Elisa grimaced.  Well, she didn't remember anything from being that little herself.  Fox thought Demona loved her.  Angela thought Demona loved her.  Hell, even Goliath seemed to think that his ex did.  Elisa sighed heavily as she walked into the bedroom to change.  She just wanted something before they went back to the castle, some indication that it was real, and if she had to squeeze it out of Demona, she'd do it.  

            Elisa moved almost regally back down the stairs, clad in that nightgown that Demona seemed to like and a black silk robe.  She'd taken the time to double check her make up and her hair.  She also spent that time trying to think of everything she'd seen in movies and what other women had done when faced with a particularly clueless potential lover.  Elisa had never had to work so hard for it in her life, but Demona was worth so much more than the few lovers Elisa had had in the past.  

            When she entered the room Demona turned with the hatchling in her arms and Elisa smirked at the surprised look on Demona's face.  She didn't try to disguise the hint of a challenge in her voice when Elisa addressed Demona.  "I felt like getting into something more comfortable."  Was all she gave in way of explanation as she moved to sit on the floor while leaning her back against the couch.  One leg she placed straight in front of her and the other she bent at the knee, exposing more of her legs, but not quite all the way to expose her underwear.  

            "If you get cold let me know."  Demona seemed to be swallowing as she watched Elisa play with the silk of her nightshirt by caressing it slowly.  "I'll turn up the heat."

            Elisa let a wicked smirk cross her lips.  It was Elisa that was turning up the heat and Demona wasn't completely unaffected.  The sense of power that knowledge gave Elisa was exciting.  Demona wanted her.  Elisa lowered her head while using her eyes to look up at the standing female and gave Demona the come hither look that she'd shown Fox so long ago.  "I'll let you know if you need to warm me up."  She spoke in a bit of a purr that had Demona's eyes widening in surprise.  Good, she was finally getting the hints.  Elisa picked up her glass and started to sip at it while battling the embarrassment that such obvious come ons made her feel.  If this is how obvious she needed to be, she could do it.  Hanging around with Fox was a sort of boot camp for blatant sexuality.  Elisa had learned a few things.

********

            Demona slowly lowered a sleeping hatchling into the bassinet they had in the living room.  Elisa was acting strangely and she just didn't know how to talk with the woman.  She clenched her fists when Elisa moved up very close behind her to stare down at Delilah for a moment.  The heat of Elisa's body was easy to feel since it was almost touching her.  Dammit, Demona's eyes burned in anger.  She thought that there was something serious between them, something permanent, but Elisa was acting like a cat in heat.  Elisa was acting like all she wanted was sex, and Demona was good enough to fulfill that need.

            Demona hadn't risen to the bait yet, but she felt used anyhow.  She had wanted to give Elisa her heart, and all the ex-detective seemed interested in was her body.  This was nothing but a game to Elisa, and Demona had never once thought this human could be that cruel.  Not even when they were enemies did she think Elisa capable of this sort of thing.  She'd thought Elisa had more honor than to use someone for just sex… to use Demona for just sex.

            "Well, now that she's taking a nap, what should we do with ourselves?"  Elisa whispered seductively while moving close enough to actually touch Demona from behind her.  Demona hated that she wanted to melt into that touch.  She respected herself too much to do it, but she wanted to.

            She flared her wings out forcing Elisa to step back from her.  This had been going on for an hour.  An hour of innuendo and teasing looks.  An hour of Elisa's exhibitionism and come ons.   Demona spun around and growled quietly so as not to wake up their little girl.  "You have so little respect for me… for yourself… that you would act in this manner?!"

            Elisa's jaw dropped and she looked stunned, but Demona marched towards her making the human back up to the wall.  "You are acting like a slut, a common whore.  What is wrong with you?"

            Elisa looked completely shocked that Demona called her on her behavior.  "I… I just…"

            Demona's eyes burned red, "What, just needed an itch scratched?  Isn't that what you humans call it?"  The sneer in her voice made it clear how little she thought of people who did that.

            "No."  Elisa's skin was reddening and her eyes flashed with anger.  "Dammit, why the hell are you so difficult!"

            "What, you want me to just lie back and let you use me?"  Demona's growl got a bit louder, but Delilah slept through it.  "I'm not a whore, no matter what you may be.  I don't just…"  Demona gritted her teeth.  "I thought better of you than this."  Her voice cracked and she turned away from the human.  God this hurt.  This is why one shouldn't fall for a human.  Demona started to walk away.  The desire to lash out was too strong and no matter how badly Elisa hurt her, she couldn't do that.  She'd lose Delilah if she did that.

            "Demona wait."  Elisa's voice was soft and pleading.  "You don't understand."  Demona didn't stop her retreat towards the stairs and Elisa's voice rose, "I didn't know what else to do.  Please, we need to talk."  Demona moved faster before her tears could fall and bound up the stairs heading for the balcony so that she could glide away.

********        

            Elisa stared after the gargoyle in shock.  She'd screwed that up so incredibly badly.  "Oh God."  She was about ready to try and chase after Demona when Delilah started to cry.  Elisa's yell for Demona had woken the hatchling up.  Elisa moved reluctantly to pick Delilah up and took a few deep breaths to push away some tears of her own.  She could hear the balcony doors in the bedroom being slammed open and knew that Demona had left.  She didn't even give Elisa a chance to explain.

            Elisa sighed shakily.  This was Demona's home.  She'd have to come back eventually and then they needed to talk.  She started to rock Delilah gently while pacing.  It took a while to get Delilah to calm down and go back to sleep.

            Demona still wasn't back when Elisa put the hatchling back in the basinet.  She moved to limply sit on the couch.  "I don't know what to do baby."  She addressed the only person she had to talk to, not that Delilah would have any words of wisdom to give her.  "I just need her to say it first."  Elisa took a shuddering breath.  "I'm so tired of having to do all the work.  I'm tired of having to chase her."  Elisa had never had to pursue someone like this.  Normally it didn't take long to either realize it was hopeless or to get some sort of response.  "Maybe she just doesn't want me."  For all of Angela and Fox's comments, they didn't know Demona as well as Elisa did.  They could be wrong.  Demona may just not be able to get over Elisa's being human.  Demona was attracted to Elisa, there was no mistaking that, but maybe she hated herself for it.  That wouldn't build a very healthy relationship.

********

            Demona stared at Elisa from her hiding place in the darkness.  She'd just snuck in to see if the human was still there and what she was doing.  She hadn't expected to find this out.  Elisa wasn't playing games with her was she?  Her human looked so hurt.  Elisa's eyes were red and she looked utterly defeated.  The seductress that had been tempting her mercilessly was gone and in her place sat a hurt and confused woman.

            Demona had been ready to renegotiate visitations.  She had been ready to tell Elisa that she didn't want the human staying, she just wanted her to deliver Delilah and go away.  She'd been ready to completely push Elisa away because she'd assumed that she'd finally found the human failings she'd spent years looking for.

            It wasn't failings.  Elisa was lost because Demona hadn't let her know how she felt.  Elisa just wanted to hear what Demona had been having such a hard time saying and went about trying to get those three words in a very odd way.

            Demona quietly backed up and moved upstairs.  She needed time to figure out how to deal with this.  She also didn't want Elisa to know that she'd heard her.  This time she slipped out of the mansion quietly for a less angry glide around the neighborhood.  There was still an hour and a half until sunrise.

            It took her forty minutes to glide her circuit around the neighborhood.  During that time she thought about nothing but Elisa.  She touched down gently on the balcony and slide inside quietly.  She walked down the hall and looked into the living room as she came down the stairs.  Elisa was laying on the couch, and Delilah wasn't making any noise.  Demona checked in the basinet and their little girl was sleeping.  She then moved around the couch to see that Elisa was just quietly laying there staring at the fire.  The human's eyes shifted to look at her and Demona moved to squat in front of the couch.

            "Demona, I…"  Elisa started, but Demona looked into her eyes tenderly and Elisa stopped talking.

            Demona kept her voice soft as she stared into Elisa's brown eyes.  "I need to speak.  Just let me go first."  She reached over and smoothed out a stray hair in Elisa's face.  "I love you.  I don't know when I fell in love with you, but I have."  She continued to caress Elisa's hair.  Her heart was pounding and she wouldn't have noticed an invasion if it happened at that moment.  "You've become so important to me, and it isn't just because of Delilah.  You were important to me before her.  There is no just breeding.  Gargoyles don't do one night stands.  In my heart you are my mate and have been for almost a year.  I tried to fight that.  I tried to avoid you in the hopes that these feelings would go away."  Demona's eyes took on a pleading quality.  Hopefully Elisa could understand why she'd fought so hard.  It was so hard to admit this, to accept this, but her mate needed her too.  This not knowing was hurting Elisa, and Demona found that she didn't want anything hurting her human.

            Elisa's eyes were just a little wider as she stared into Demona's lightly glowing eyes.  "I love you too."  Demona gave Elisa a soft smile and leaned forward to gently kiss Elisa's lips.  This moment was perfect.  She trailed tender kisses along Elisa's lips and her jaw.  She had finally told Elisa, and Elisa's small pleased whimpers as Demona trailed her kisses down Elisa's neck were the most beautiful thing she'd heard in a very long time.

            Elisa grabbed her head and pulled her back up to kiss her more passionately and Demona moaned into the contact.  "Oh God I love you."  Elisa whispered breathlessly in Demona's ear before moving to gently nibble on it.

********        


	11. The MatchMakers

Something To Tell You:  

Epilogue:  The Trickster MatchMaker(s)

By Luna Wyrd 

Sequel to:  Nothing to Fear by Fear Itself.  

**Alternate Universe Fiction** Two Months Three Weeks and Three Days after Birth 

         Angela woke up with a roar and stared out at her glimpse of the setting sun.  Elisa had called yesterday and told Fox she was staying until Monday night.  The weekend visit got extended and Angela was eager to hear if her mother had finally realized what she had in Elisa.  Fox was disappointed that Elisa didn't want to talk over the phone, and had grumbled to Angela that she'd have to wait a week now to find out if Elisa took the plunge.  She'd left during the day on a vacation with Xanatos.

         "Hey, Angela."  Broadway smiled at her as she stepped off of her ledge.  "I was thinking of going to the movies."

         "I've… got plans."  She smiled back at him.  He'd proven to be a very caring male.  She'd never regretted her choice, which was why she wanted her mother to feel that kind of love.  It was something that she'd assumed she would never see in her lifetime, because she'd been convinced that the only male Demona could love was Goliath and he had moved on to Elisa.  

         She'd noticed the distance growing between Elisa and Goliath since Angela had joined the clan, and she'd started to entertain the idea that Goliath would go back to Demona.  Those thoughts made her feel guilty because she loved Elisa and wanted her to always be a part of the clan, but her mother was so lonely.

It was a shock when she found out about the Breeders moon and how Demona had actually mated.  And with Elisa.  If it weren't for the fact that Goliath was now alone Angela would say that it was perfect.  Her mother wasn't alone and Elisa was not just clan but family.  No matter how much Demona protested, Angela knew that her mother was in love.  She'd never submit to a Breeder's moon solely for sex.  That just wasn't who her mother was.

She watched at her father actually accompanied Broadway and a few of the others to a movie.  He didn't do that often, but it was a good thing.  He'd been mopping around a bit too much and needed to start living again.  Those that had patrols tonight took off leaving just Angela and Hudson at the castle.

The T.V. was already illuminating the room when she got into the library.  Angela sat down to wait the customary hour before visiting.  She just had to hear if things worked out.  When Fox had come to Angela and told her that Elisa was in love, Angela had been overjoyed at the confirmation and eagerly signed on to have that talk with the ex-detective.  

"Why aren't you out with the others?"  Hudson asked when the commercial started.

"I want to visit with Elisa."

He glanced over at her, "Are you up to something Lass?"  

"What?  No."  Angela spoke a little quickly and grimaced at how guilty that made her sound.

"Well, good."  He sounded completely unconvinced.  The show started and they both fell quiet.

As soon as an hour was up Angela got up and headed for Elisa's rooms.  Elisa had just spent three nights away with Demona and Angela was sure that there must be something to report.  With a smile on her face she knocked on Elisa's door.  If things went well this weekend, Angela would have to visit her mother and make the subtle suggestion that Elisa might be happier living with Demona.  Angela would miss having Elisa around so that she could visit whenever she wanted, but this was really much better.  It wasn't healthy for a gargoyle to live alone like Demona did.  Demona needed at least a little clan of her own.

"Angela."  Elisa looked like she'd been expecting her and opened the door wider to let Angela in.

"So, how was your visit?"  Angela couldn't stop grinning and that smile grew when she saw Elisa blush.  It must have been that good.  YES!  Her mother wasn't going to stupidly let a good thing pass her by.  Angela felt like dancing in victory when Elisa started to give her a shy smile.

"It was good."  Was Elisa's minimal answer and Angela just stared at her.  No, she wasn't getting away with an answer like that.  Angela wanted details.  

Three Months after Birth 

         Fox and David got home Friday morning from a wonderful visit to their country home.  She felt so much better about their relationship.  Demona's considerate treatment of Elisa and all the new gargoyle couples in the castle had started to make her feel like an old married woman.  She started to miss the dates and the spontaneous trips that they used to take, and this week together was just what she'd needed to feel special again.

         After unpacking and spending a special lunch with Alexander to make up for being gone she sat in the kitchen staring out at the view out the window.  Alexander and Owen were busy with lessons again.  Nothing like having your son be so far beyond you magically to make you feel stupid.  She'd given up on magic lessons herself when she realized she just had no talent for it at all.  Perhaps she was just too old to learn.  Oh, there was another pleasant thought.  Fox grimaced into her tea as she took another sip.

         Elisa walked in and didn't seem to notice her sitting by the window as she single mindedly headed for the coffee pot.  Fox grinned as she watched her friend, really her only friend, fumbling around tiredly for a coffee cup.  Fox had acquaintances that she'd have lunch with or old friends that she saw once in a while, but her relationship with Elisa was different than that.  She could trust Elisa with everything.  No one else knew about the gargoyles living here, or about Fox's half fey nature.  She didn't have to lie to Elisa or leave out huge parts of her life.  Elisa had listened to Fox's frustrations with her mother.  There really wasn't anyone that she could talk to about that other than David and his answer was usually that she shouldn't see the woman anymore if she clashed with her that much.  It wasn't really helpful, because Fox wanted to mend the relationship with her mother.  She remembered the woman that raised her and had a hard time looking at the green Fey and seeing her, but she tried.

         "So, did you miss me?"  Fox spoke in a sultry teasing voice because it made Elisa blush and it was so cute.  Okay, so maybe she had a little crush on her best friend, but there was no harm in that.  Fox's grin grew when Elisa tensed up, clearly startled.

         "I thought you weren't coming home until tonight."

         "We decided to beat traffic.  You know Fridays."  Fox answered and Elisa just nodded her understanding.  Fox's smile calmed down as she moved to ask the question she'd been thinking about all week.  "So how was staying with Demona?"

         Elisa fond smile said it all.  Fox had mixed feelings about this, but she knew she should be happy for Elisa so she went with that one.  A smile crossed her lips, but it felt a little forced.  "Spill.  You obviously have something."

         "She told me she loves me."  Elisa moved to sit at the table with Fox.  "Angela's going to babysit tonight so that we can go out."

         Fox smirked at her, "Is that what you are calling it?  You can't exactly go out at night.  I'm a big girl you can say the 'S' word with me."  When Elisa started to blush Fox leered at her teasingly, "Sex.  Say it with me…"

         "Okay, so we plan to stay at the mansion all night."  Elisa sounded just a little irritated with the teasing.  She was so sensitive.  "But we are going out to dinner before sunset."

         "Well, that should be fun."  Fox wiggled her eyebrows teasingly.   "So, tell me is she still as passionate as you remember or was that just a Breeder's moon thing?"

         "I… ah…"  Elisa blushed, "Don't know.  We haven't been together again yet."

         "You had her the entire weekend and you didn't get any?"

         "She wants to be in her true form, and I didn't want to be interrupted if Delilah cried."

         Fox frowned a little at that.  Did Demona not want to use her human form at all for sex?  It would be so much easier on the couple if the gargoyle would get over that little hangup.  Unlike other parents they have guaranteed time when Delilah won't interrupt their fun.  They should take advantage of that.  Elisa noticed her expression and added more quietly, "She just wants the first time to be with her true form."

         "Technically you've already had your first time.  That's how you ended up with Delilah."

         "You know what I mean."  Elisa took another drink of her coffee and stared out at the city.  "It feels like the first time in a way.  We are planning to be together.  Last time it was…"  Elisa looked to be struggling for the words.  "I can't say she didn't want me, but this time… It's really me she wants.  Do you understand?"

         "I think she always wanted you."  Fox's teasing tone left her as she stared at Elisa's face.  "One thing I can say about her is she has taste."

         Elisa gave her a soft smile.  "Thanks."

         "So, what are you going to wear out to dinner tonight?"  

         Elisa's smile was slightly wicked, "A skirt.  She hasn't seen me in some of my undercover outfits, and I think I should still get mileage out of those."

         "Wow, you're going all Femme on her.  Does that mean she's Butch?"  Fox knew that lesbians didn't necessarily play those games anymore, but the red of Elisa's blush and the stammered attempt at denial was truly fun to watch.

         Demona better treat Elisa right.  Fox stared out the window towards the NightStone building.  Fox had given that gargoyle some help, and she wasn't sure Demona deserved a woman like Elisa.  She'd only called Angela in to talk Elisa into visiting Demona at the mansion because it was clear that Elisa was in love.  A woman like Elisa didn't give out her heart easily.  

Four Months after Birth 

         Owen glanced at the growing pile of mail sitting outside Elisa's door with a hint of a smirk on his lips.  She hadn't been at the castle in almost a week, but she'd be back today.  She must be aware that she's not so slowly not living here anymore.  "Sometimes a plan really comes together."  He whispered to himself.

         "Did you say something?"  Fox asked as she walked past.

         "No Mrs. Xanatos."  He answered mechanically and put yet more mail in the box they'd put outside Elisa's room.  He pulled out a change of address form he'd picked up at that post office and put it with the mail on the door after Fox slipped into the kitchen and away from him.  He smirked at it.  That wasn't a very subtle hint.

         He took his mail to his rooms with him while thinking about the newest couple.  It was about time.  When Demona had chained Puck up he'd seen the spark of attraction the gargoyle had for Elisa, but his own sense of self preservation and the potential for later mischief prevented him from calling Demona on it.  The mirror showed Demona's love and it had been Elisa that was the focus of the scene.  Puck just pretended that the male that was just by luck in the scene as well was the object of her desire.  That night was the night he'd come up with his plan.  A few well placed spells to push things along.

         The spells he'd used up in this mission had really added up.  A spell to make Demona a little more aware of how humans really were by giving her the ability to walk among them during the day, a spell to give the immortal female a glimpse of the detective in a form she'd appreciate a little more, and that one spell that was a pure stroke of genius if he'd ever seen one.  

         The magical binding that Oberon did on Puck almost ruined it all.  He'd planned a whole elaborate system of spells to help this couple along, without manipulating their emotions.  He'd learned his lesson the last time he'd played matchmaker.  Queen Titania was still a bit angry at him about that and Puck could understand.  The human the queen had fawned over was truly repulsive.  Puck had only thought his highness deserved someone more fun than Oberon, but his good intentions backfired.  This time he did better, and it worked.  Owen started to smile as he leaned back on his couch, looking far more Puckish than normal.

         He'd managed to do some of it without any magic whatsoever.  A tape for Elisa's eyes only that let Elisa see the gargoyle struggling with the thought of killing the detective that she'd vowed so many times that she would destroy.  A series of tapes leaked to Demona's incompetent spy showing Elisa defending the immortal female.  A call to Castaway.  That hadn't been pleasant, but it was necessary.  Demona had been doing that spell to ease her needs on the Breeder's moon for the past two hundred years, and Puck needed her to be completely submerged in her needs.  Another anonymous call to Elisa claiming that a quarrymen convention was in the park and seemed to have a gargoyle ensured that both of the contestants were in the game.

         That car accident almost ruined all his hard work.  It had happened too soon in their relationship and he'd watched helplessly as they started to drift apart.  If Fox hadn't stepped into his carefully constructed plan unknowingly and corrected the problem, he would have had to do something a bit more drastic to get Demona and Elisa together.

         The green glow coming in his slightly opened window was expected and Owen stood up to greet his lord.  Oberon materialized, along with the Wyrd Sisters as requested.  Queen Titania was with them as well, and Puck nodded to the woman he considered a mother figure.

         "I have a proposition for you."  Puck spoke as soon as he finished changing into his true form.  He was a master of loopholes and deception, and he'd found a well-hidden loophole that he wanted to take advantage of.  It would just take four minor spells to manipulate the larger one.  All he needed was permission.

Five Months After Birth 

         Owen held open the elevator door so that Elisa could catch it with him.  She'd sent her boxes to the mansion by mover and was on her way out to follow them.  Elisa was moving into Demona's mansion full time now, and that made sense, since she'd only been at the castle a day or two of the week anyhow.  

         "Congratulations."  Owen nodded to her while he glanced at the gold band on her finger.  For a gargoyle that hated humans, she'd easily adapted to the idea of marriage.  "If you decide to have a honey moon after all, I would be glad to assist with Delilah." 

         "Well, thank you, but that won't be necessary."  Elisa was still holding a grudge because of the spell.  No gratitude at all in that human even though it was all for her own good.

         "Very well, but if you change your mind you know where to find me."  Owen said flatly.  

********   

         Elisa walked into the mansion and glanced around at the boxes littering the entry way.  This was as far as Demona was probably willing to allow the movers while Delilah was in her room.  The movers had already been gone by the time Elisa got home from her dinner with Fox.  She'd promised to continue with their weekly dinners.

         After doing some unpacking Elisa managed to give herself a paper cut off of one of the boxes and went to the bathroom to find a bandage.  Cardboard paper cuts seemed to hurt the worst.  

********

Demona hissed when she felt the cardboard of the box she was checking in the entryway cut her finger and she pulled it into her mouth to try and stop the blood, but she didn't taste any.  She pulled her finger out and glanced at the damp fingertips to see they weren't injured at all.  After staring at them in a little puzzlement she continued to pick boxes to carry upstairs so that Elisa could unpack them.  

The End?


End file.
